2011 2012
IBIS’
Annual Report
Central America
Guatemala YOUNGSTERS AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN GIVEN SPECIAL ATTENTION IN IBIS' WORK WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN GUATEMALA. THE SAME PEOPLE BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE INCREASED MINING OPERATIONS IN THE COUNTRY. Per Bergholdt Jensen
system, which takes into account indigenous peoples' children and ensures that they are also given a quality education. There was success in getting the authorities' acknowledgement that bilingual and culturally sensitive teaching is important and the right thing to do in a country where the population speaks 23 different languages. Specifically, a new teaching method and a curriculum, which IBIS' partners have developed for the Maya-Kaqchikel people was introduced and 250,000 copies, in total, of new intercultural teaching material has been printed and distributed everywhere in the country with IBIS' support.
Selected milestones for 2011-2012 t 8F TVDDFFEFE JO HFUUJOH UIF OBUJPOBM FEVDBUJPO BVUIPSJties' acknowledgement of the models and methods IBIS' partners develop for schools where some of the children belong to an indigenous group of people. t " MBSHF OVNCFS PG *#*4h QBSUOFST IBWF HBJOFE LOPXMFEHF
In Guatemala there are millions of young men and women who have no education or job. This has led to increased poverty and a rise in criminality in the country and has made Guatemala City one of the most dangerous places in the world. Consequently this year, IBIS has directed particular focus on youngsters and has had success with a number of education and employment initiatives in Guatemala's slum areas. IBIS has had a desire to include, to a higher degree, young people and women in the decision-making processes of our partner organisations. This was most successful with the Maya-Kaqchikel local government, which IBIS has worked together with for five years. The local government led the way during the year to create increased gender and age equality in the organisation by reserving places for youngsters and women in various forums. Another important theme in the course of the year has been to support and strengthen indigenous peoples' organisations in defending their rights and livelihoods when major companies - not least mining companies - move into their local areas. This impacts the Mayan Indians in particular, who live in the mining areas and are rarely asked when new mines are opened - even though it is their right according to ILO's Convention No. 169 and the UN's Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Parallel with the work of strengthening the indigenous peoples' organisations, IBIS in Guatemala has focus on supporting the building up of an education 18
of legislation regarding the mining industry and have become stronger in how they defend indigenous peoples' rights on this point.
Mayan women gained influence For several years, IBIS has cooperated with the traditional Mayan local government in the mountain town of Chichicastenango in order to improve the rights for 140,000 Mayans in the QuichĂŠ Province. The Mayan local government was, however, quite male-dominated, so IBIS facilitated several equality courses. Since midwives have a special role in the Mayan societies, IBIS offered courses to them, which has raised their self-respect and made them active in the local government. A council of 70 midwives has been elected to participate in the Mayan local government's assembly at the same level as the 30 male mayors.
Facts about IBIS in Guatemala IBIS has worked in Guatemala since 1990 to support a peaceful development in the troubled country and, in particular, to strengthen the indigenous peoples to exercise their rights as individuals and as a nation. IBIS in Guatemala works together with almost 30 local partners. The office has 18 employees (including those employees who share with the partner organisation, Hivos) and an annual turnover of approximately 17 million DKK.
Central America
Nicaragua IBIS' WORK TO CREATE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THE COUNTRY'S MINORITIES AND PROTECTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' RIGHTS HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AS MANY OTHER DONORS HAVE STOPPED THEIR WORK IN THE COUNTRY. Per Bergholdt Jensen
In 2012, Denmark closed its embassy in Nicaragua and a number of other countries followed suit, and have recently given up or phased out their development work in the country. However, IBIS is still continuing its work to support the building up of an intercultural democracy in the country and strengthening the country's indigenous peoples, who are amongst the weakest and most marginalised groups in society. In various ways IBIS tries to ensure indigenous peoples' collective rights and give them the opportunity to be heard. Furthermore, we work on raising the quality of the education that is given to indigenous peoples' children and youngsters - in particular, by spreading bilingual cultural teaching in the country's schools. Together with local partners, we have developed and trained teachers in the special methods for pupil-focused, bilingual and culturally sensitive teaching and we have done so with great success. The principles are now being implemented in the curriculum for the Garifuna and Chorotega people - two of the country's indigenous ethnic groups. IBIS works on strengthening the indigenous peoples' organisations so they can demand and exercise their collective rights. IBIS has assisted the so-called Rama-Kriol Territorial Government to prepare a plan that ensures sustainable development in their territory, which comprises an area of 4,000 square metres of protected jungle. Indigenous peoples' organisations and local authorities are traditionally very male-dominated. To improve this situation IBIS has recently, and with success, made a special effort to increase women's influence among indigenous peoples. We succeeded this year among the Miskito and Mayangna Indians in particular who have, among other things, adopted an equality policy
and have formerly given women a place in the decision making process
Selected milestones for 2011-2012 t ćSPVHI JUT SPMF BT BENJOJTUSBUPS GPS ćF %FNPDSBUJD Governability Fund for the support of Civil Society in /JDBSBHVB *#*4 IBT IBE UIF PQQPSUVOJUZ UP TVQQPSU more than 30 local organisations and made IBIS an important supporter of civil society in Nicaragua. The fund is financed by donors amounting to 50 million DKK in total. t 5FBDIFST GSPN UIF (BSJGVOB $IPSPUFHB BOE .JTLJUP Indians have been trained in providing bilingual and culturally sensitive high-quality teaching and the results have helped to spread the methods. t *O DPPQFSBUJPO XJUI UIF %BOJTI FNCBTTZ BOE UIF Rama-Kriol Territorial Government, IBIS has tested a new method for conflict resolution which can inspire other groups in Nicaragua.
Facts about IBIS in Nicaragua For more than 30 years IBIS has worked in Nicaragua, which is one of the poorest countries in Central America. Our focus is on the country's indigenous peoples, who we strengthen to be able to demand and exercise their rights - including to be part of the Nicaraguan democracy and to have control over their own territories and natural resources. Moreover, we work on ensuring quality education for the indigenous peoples' children. IBIS in Nicaragua works together with 39 partners, has 15 employees and an annual turnover of approximately 17 million DKK. 19