Because the state in Guatemala is weak, we are co-operating with several partners working with the civil society, UN organizations and other international players. At the same time, we are working so that Guatemala’s government can take a greater responsibility to reduce poverty. We are also trying to improve the co-ordination between different donor organizations working in the country.
Better voting system, more voters
Indigenous people and women have long been discriminated against in Guatemala. This has affected the confidence people have in the state.
Together with many other countries and organizations, we worked to improve the voting system in Guatemala before the 2007 election. The co-operation led to an increase in polling stations. The number of registered female voters also increased by 24 per cent, twice the increase in the number of men.
Economic growth for everyone
The economic gaps in Guatemala are profound. Guatemala’s GDP is somewhere in the middle when compared with other countries in Central America. Nevertheless, half of the population lives in poverty. Three out of four indigenous people live in poverty. There are also major economic gaps between men and women.
To contribute towards change, we have been co-operating with the Fideicomiso para el Desarrollo Local en Guatemala (FDLG) organization since 1999. The organization works to increase access to microloans for poor people in rural areas and to give them access to better housing.
Health
Guatemala has the lowest average life expectancy in the region. We have been trying to improve people’s access to health and medical care on several fronts. Among other things, we have been working to build a health-care chain, which has given women and children in five poor districts access to care.
At the same time, we have been working to strengthen Guatemala’s Ministry of Health so that it can take a greater responsibility for medical care in the country. We will continue with this work in the coming years.
