Webinar

Gender and displacement of women and LGTBIQ+ population in El Salvador

Human mobility processes, in all its forms, are a phenomenon that permeates El Salvador’s recent history.

During the last four decades, El Salvador has seen several different triggers for migrant flows, especially to North American countries, where people travel to improve and even preserve their lives.

Plenty of research exist that have addressed this problem from different angles to portray how migrant flows evolve in times of peace and "war" (declared or not); however, not enough analysis has been done to shed light on the gender dimension within the migratory trajectories of Salvadorans.

The Rights & Dignity Project, implemented by Counterpart International, Partners El Salvador and ConTextos, and with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), carried out a qualitative study in 2021 to explore the relationship between gender-based violence and migration and forced displacement. The study was guided by the central question: Do human rights violations related to discrimination and gender-based violence accelerate irregular migration and forced displacement of women and LGTBIQ+ people in El Salvador?

This webinar is a journey through the results and recommendations stemming from this study, with the purpose of encouraging a conversation focused on the collective enrichment of knowledge and recommendations from relevant actors in the region.

This panel will be held in Spanish.

Webinar

Disruptive Youth Movements Launch

Disruptive Youth Movements (MJD) is a regional and collaborative investigation on how youth in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia organize themselves and the possibilities of working with them through philanthropy.

The project was carried out from 2020 to 2021 and was led by the Seattle International Foundation´s CAMY Fund in partnership with Diakonia, Global Fund for Children and FRIDA Fund.

Join the research presentation and the conversation about the findings, experiences, lessons learned and proposals derived from this unique project in the region.

Thursday, August 18, 2022
12:00 pm Central America / 1:00 pm Mexico and Colombia

The event will be held in Spanish. There will be simultaneous interpretation in English.

Webinar

Selection of Judges and Prosecutors in Central America

Justice officials assume a fundamental role in protecting the rule of law and, consequently, democratic governance and social well-being in northern Central America. The selection process of the highest judicial and prosecutorial authorities is essential for public institutions.

Only through a transparent review of a candidate’s merits can the most suitable option be selected. In practice, however, powerful groups seeking to maintain high levels of impunity, and even intending to criminalize human rights defenders and anti-corruption critics, have co-opted the selection process.

In this webinar, panelists will address recent developments of judicial selection processes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, and determine what lessons we can draw from these experiences in order to improve processes in the future.

Join SIF and American University’s Center for Latin American & Latino Studies for this discussion on improving the selection processes for judges and prosecutors in northern Central America in an effort to combat corruption and impunity.

Simultaneous interpretation will not be available for this event.

Webinar

Honduras after the Vote

Join the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Seattle International Foundation (SIF) to discuss the November 28 general elections in Honduras. The virtual conversation will examine the state of Honduran democracy, the challenges of violence, poverty and corruption, and the implications for US policy toward northern Central America. 

Time:
12:00pm – 1:00pm (Pacific)
2:00pm – 3:00pm (Central America)
3:00pm – 4:00pm (Washington, DC)

English and Spanish interpretation available

Webinar

Launch of unionestempranas.org

Join in the launch of the website unionestempranas.org and a conversation about early unions and forced marriages among girls and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Tuesday, November 30

Event in Spanish

Streamed via Facebook Live and Twitter by CAMY Fund.

2021 Central America Donors Forum

Webinar

Attacks and reprisals against judges in Central America: a conversation with members of the Central American Federation of Judges for Democracy

Central American judiciaries have not been exempt from the recent deterioration in the respect for the rule of law in the region.

Arbitrary dismissals, frivolous complaints, and the possible adoption of measures that would violate judicial independence are some of the threats and risks that Central American judges are facing.

In this virtual conversation, we will speak with members of judges’ associations, like the Central American Federation of Judges for Democracy (FECAJUD), about what judges can do to protect their independence and what role the judges’ associations can play to strengthen the rule of law.

This event will take place in Spanish and will be broadcast live on SIF’s social media.

Virtual event

Launch of the initiative against corruption and impunity in northern Central America

On June 3, you will be witness to the launch of the first regional initiative led by civil society in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to combat corruption and impunity.

Streaming via Facebook and Twitter by the host organizations.
Thursday, June 3
12:00pm EDT

Learn more: https://ccinoc.org/

Virtual Forum

Nicaragua's political landscape and prospects for democracy in 2021

On November 7, 2021, Nicaragua will hold national elections for president, congress, and local authorities. The elections will take place in a context of weakened democratic and electoral institutions, with an electoral system and rules that tilt heavily in favor of the incumbent, Daniel Ortega, and the Sandinista party. Since widespread anti-government protests erupted in April 2018, more than 300 citizens have been killed by government forces and paramilitary groups aligned with them. In addition, the Ortega government has adopted several repressive laws that severely restrict civic space and political rights in the country.

Thus far, the opposition has failed to unite behind a single candidate to oppose President Ortega, who has ruled continuously since 2007. Given the severe limitations on civic space, press freedom, and the exercise of political rights, what are the prospects for democracy in Nicaragua? Is it possible to create better conditions for electoral competition? Will the opposition abstain in the face of current obstacles? Will the opposition unify? Is there a constructive role for the international community to play?

Duration: 60 minutes
9:00am PDT
10:00am Central America
12:00pm EDT

This event will be held in a mix of Spanish and English, with simultaneous interpretation available and broadcast via Zoom and SIF's social media platforms.
To access the simultaneous interpretation, please click the "Register" button on this page.

Challenges in Northern Central America in the Fight against Corruption

This panel will analyze, from different perspectives, commonalities between Honduras and Guatemala in the fight against corruption, as well as challenges, expectations, and opportunities for northern Central America.

Duration: 90 minutes

Time: 11:00am Central America / 1:00pm Washington D.C.

This event will be held in Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation available via this registration. This discussion will also take place on the social media platforms of Alianza por las Reformas, Organización Ayudamos Honduras and Seattle International Foundation, without interpretation available.

Questions may be submitted to panelists during the live event.

Virtual Forum

Democratic Crisis in El Salvador

A new Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, in which President Bukele’s party Nuevas Ideas controls the majority, was sworn in on Saturday May 1. That same day, the Legislative Assembly arbitrarily dismissed the Attorney General and the magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court and appointed a new Attorney General and constitutional magistrates. Threats against civil society organzations and the independent media have abounded.

These actions breached the separation of powers and put El Salvador’s democracy at risk.

What exactly has happened in the country in the last few days? And what will be the consequences of this crisis of democracy?

This event will be held in Spanish and broadcast via Zoom and SIF's social media platforms. To access the simultaneous interpretation in English, please click the "Register" button on this page.

Virtual Forum

The results of the Honduran primary elections and their implications for democracy

On March 14, Honduras held its primary elections. According to the National Electoral Council (CNE), voting anomalies were found in nearly 18% of tally sheets.

Several candidates who received the most votes have been linked to acts of corruption and/or drug trafficking. Moreover, the electoral process has been characterized by candidates’ hostile rhetoric.

What implications do these results have for the upcoming general elections on November 28, and for Honduran democracy?

Duration: 75 minutes

10:00am PDT
11:00am Central America
1:00pm EDT

Online Discussion

A Conversation with Women of Courage

The fight for justice and against impunity in Guatemala has known great progress, but also worrying setbacks.

Three Guatemalan women have stood out for their courage and leadership in defense of the rule of law.

Norma Torres is a Member of the U.S. Congress and the founder of the Central American Caucus, Erika Aifán is judge of the High Risk Tribunal “D,” and Claudia Paz y Paz is the former Attorney General of Guatemala and is currently the Director for Central America and Mexico at CEJIL.

All three have received multiple award in recognition of their work, such as:
Claudia Paz y Paz: 2015 Civil Courage Prize, and nomination for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize
Norma Torres: 2019 WOLA Human Rights Award
Erika Aifán: 2021 International Women of Courage Award

In this event, they will discuss their commitment to justice, the defense of human rights, and the rule of law.

This online discussion is open to the public without registration, and will be streamed on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/SeattleIF

Length: 30 minutes
3:30-4:00pm PDT
4:30-5:00pm Central America
6:30-7:00pm EDT

Elections and Democracy in Central America

The new political reality in El Salvador and its challenges for democracy

On February 28, President Nayib Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas political party was a decisive winner in El Salvador’s legislative elections. Having gained a two-thirds majority, the governing party now holds unprecedented power.

During Bukele’s presidency, El Salvador’s homicide rate has dropped to its lowest levels in years while COVID-19 infections have remained relatively under control. However, Bukele’s term has also been characterized by populist rhetoric, confrontations with public institutions, the politicization of the armed forces and the national police, and attacks on civil society organizations and media.

What challenges does this new political reality pose for El Salvador’s democracy?

This event will be conducted in English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation available.

10:00 am PDT
12:00 pm CST
1:00 pm EST

Webinar

Corruption in Central America: Challenges, Defeats, and Glimmers of Hope

Corruption is one of the most pressing challenges in Central America today. It not only weakens government but it can be self-perpetuating by fueling electoral campaigns with illicit campaign financing. Understanding the extent of the problem, and how to effectively limit its impact on society if of upmost concern to the people of Central America, governments, and the new Biden Administration. 

Join us for a discussion with experts in the field as they tackle these challenges. 

This webinar will be conducted in English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation available.

Time: 9:00am-10:00am PDT/ 11:00 - 12:00pm CST/ 12:00-1:00pm EST

US Foreign Aid to Central America

US Foreign Aid to the Northern Triangle 2014-2019: Promoting Success by Learning from the Past

Northern Central America is in the throes of crisis once again. Two devastating Category 4 hurricanes in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic have shaken a region already faced with daunting challenges. Natural disasters and the pandemic have magnified previously existing problems such as long-term environmental destruction, economic and social inequality, networks of corruption, weakened government institutions, elevated levels of crime and violence, and distrust in government. As a result, the risks of renewed mass migration events like those in 2014 and 2019 are real.

The United States will have to consider how to respond to these factors, as well as their implications for a range of U.S. interests. Drawing lessons from strategies and experiences employed by the United States between 2014 and 2019 in an effort to address the sources of instability in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras should be a starting point. That is the basis of a new study to be presented by the Woodrow Wilson Center on December 2. The report suggests a number of new strategies for confronting the wide set of structural weaknesses in Central America that may offer useful ideas for U.S. policy deliberations in the coming years.

Join us for a discussion with authors and experts.

This event will be held in English.

Please send questions for the panelists before or during the event on Twitter to @LATAMProg.

Webinario

United States’ Elections and the fight against corruption in Central America

The result of the presidential election in the United States will mark a new stage in the country’s relations with Central America. Despite efforts in increase transparency in government, in recent years several Central American governments have taken steps backwards in the fight against corruption in the public sector. President-elect Joe Biden's platform includes the fight against corruption as one of its main pillars. In this webinar, leading analysts with experience in regional anti-corruption efforts will discuss the implications of the US elections on strengthening these institutions and promoting transparency in the region.
The event will be held in Spanish.

Webinar

Corruption, shedding light on what's hidden: Honduras

Webinar

Corruption, shedding light on what's hidden: El Salvador

Online forum

Youth Movements and the Fight against Corruption in Central America

Hundreds of young people in Honduras and Guatemala have been protesting online and on the streets in response to a lack of transparency in public institutions. Independent media and youth-led civil society organizations have denounced numerous corruption scandals in Central American governments. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the pervasiveness of corruption in the region and revealed the role hundreds of citizens have played in combatting it.

In this webinar, prominent Central American youth will discuss their experiences in the fight against corruption and impunity in Central America.

The webinar will be broadcast in Spanish via Zoom at 11:00am (Central America time)/10:00am (PDT)/1:00pm (EDT). You will receive a link after completing your registration, which is free.

To register, click the "Register" button above on this page.

Virtual Edition

Central America Donors Forum (CADF) 2020

Corruption and impunity

Gender & Corruption in Central America: Women's Responses to Corruption

Equity

Virtual Event – Proven strategies for stopping gender-based violence

Rule of Law

SUSPENDED | Virtual Panel: Lessons from the fight against corruption and impunity in Central America

Dear friends, We regret to inform you that as part of the preventive measures taken against the coronavirus to lower risk of exposure and spread, we have suspended this virtual panel. We thank you for your interest in this conversation on corruption and impunity in Central America.

In recent years, Guatemala and Honduras have seen significant progress in the fight against impunity and corruption. The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) served for 12 years in the country, in which its investigations were key in dismantling over 70 criminal schemes and prosecute more than 650 people. The Mission against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), in its almost four years in the country, contributed to the prosecution of 14 cases and 133 people. Similarly, both commissions submitted proposals for judicial reform to strengthen the judicial system and criminal proceedings such as the illicit financing of politics, among others.

However, these important achievements generated a counterattack of corrupt powers that could not be contained. As a consequence, CICIG's mandate ended in September 2019 and that of MACCIH in January 2020. In the last six months, the fight against impunity and corruption seems to have changed completely in Guatemala and Honduras.

In El Salvador, the situation is somewhat different. In November 2019, the Salvadoran government and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed an agreement for the installation of the International Commission against Impunity in El Salvador (CICIES).

With all this in mind, several questions arise regarding anti-impunity and anti-corruption efforts in the region: What have the results been for anti-impunity and anti-corruption commissions? Have they been successful? How has civil society participated in the fight? What are the most effective mechanisms? In addition, what happens now with the fight against impunity and what happens for the officials on these commissions? What possibilities remain?

This is an online event and will be conducted in Spanish.

Lecciones de la lucha contra la corrupción y la impunidad en Centroamérica

Webinar

Conscious Menstruation

Conference

2019 Central America Donors Forum

Civil Society

The Struggle for Peace in the Midst of Repression: Unified Voices from Nicaragua’s Civil Society Leaders

Following the breakdown of political negotiations between the Nicaraguan government and key opposition figures in August, political repression by state security forces has continued unabated. Civil society leaders, rural leaders, and independent journalists, among others, have been targeted by the administration of President Daniel Ortega. Against this backdrop of growing violence and political instability, how can Nicaraguan civil society bring about change when dialogue has been foreclosed and repression is mounting?  Is the international community sufficiently engaged in efforts to press for change?  What are the implications of Nicaragua’s decision to deny the OAS Special Commission on Nicaragua entry to the country?

The Wilson Center’s Latin American Program and the Seattle International Foundation are pleased to host prominent Nicaraguan civil society leaders representing the Unidad Nacional Azul y Blanco (Blue and White National Unity, UNAB) and the Alianza Cívica (Civic Alliance), who for the first time have come to Washington with a common message demanding change in Nicaragua.  Please join us for this important discussion on Thursday, September 26, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Migration & Journalism

Crisis & Migration: A Conversation With Central American Independent Media

Migration and Journalism

Photo Gallery: Let's Leave. Because life can be better, maybe

SIF’s Independent Journalism Fund shows the harsh reality of Central America through a photo exhibition in the city of Seattle, Washington. The exhibit entitled Nos Vamos (Let’s Leave in English) will allow the viewer to put themselves in the shoes of the millions of Central Americans who cling hope to survive when they emigrate.

Nos Vamos displays the unique perspectives of five photographers from four independent media outlets in Central America to uncover the phenomenon of migration beyond what the news portrays and allows us to more deeply understand this crisis in the region.

The photo gallery will be open from August 1 to September 27, 2019 at the SIF office in Seattle, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.

Migration

Nowhere to Turn: Gender-Based Violence in the Northern Triangle and its Impact on Migration

Security and Human Rights

Forum: Public Security Policies that Guarantee Human Rights in El Salvador

Migration & Security

Progress at Risk? First Annual Conference on Security, Migration, and Rule of Law in the Northern Triangle

Rule of Law

In Solidarity with Nicaragua: One Year of Resistance

Rule of Law

A Vow to End Child Marriage

Rule of Law

Nicaragua's Human Rights Crisis: A GIEI Investigation

Rule of Law

Democracy in Nicaragua Under Siege: An Independent Report on the Violence of the Ortega Regime

Equity

Addressing Violence Against Women & Girls in Rural Guatemala