International Development Grant

Support to Human Rights Defenders Protection Fund in Guatemala

Project Number: CA-3-P008630001

Status: Operational

Country/Region:

Guatemala 99.10%

Regional Focus:

Developing countries unspecified 0.9%

Maximum Contribution: $2,600,000.00

Start Date: March 16, 2021

End Date: December 31, 2025

Duration: 4.8 years

Project Description

This projects aims to support vulnerable human rights defenders in Guatemala. Special care is taken with women and Indigenous defenders to ensure their physical and psychological well-being. Project activities include: (1) providing training to increase their knowledge of risk and protection measures; (2) providing legal psychological physical and other services with differentiated approaches for women's human rights defenders; (3) creating communication materials to increase knowledge of the role and importance of women and other human rights defenders; and (4) supporting the creation or consolidation of protection mechanisms for human rights defenders.

Expected Results

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved response and services to human rights defenders in vulnerable situations. This applies in particular to women and Indigenous peoples because of their work gender or ethnic origin; and (2) improved environment for the respect of the rights of human rights defenders. This includes the reduction of gender barriers and gender-based violence experienced by human rights defenders due to their work their gender or their Indigenous identity.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) provided legal and psychosocial services to 43 human rights defenders (20 women) and to members of their families and communities. Reached 117 people in total of which 72 were women; (2) provided collective psychosocial and health attention to 150 Indigenous community members; (3) recruited two law students including one Indigenous woman to complete legal internships with one of the project’s local partners; and (4) identified and documented one emblematic legal case.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
Avocats Sans Frontières Canada

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
NGM Americas

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Anti-corruption organisations and institutions 24.77%
Human rights 74.32%
Sectors not specified 0.91%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 2 Participatory development and good governance
Level 1 Indigenous Issues
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2020-04-01 to 2021-03-31 $2,600,000 CAD
Geographic Information
000";Budget Type:Original;Start Date:2021-04-01;End Date:2022-03-31;Value Date:2021-03-16;Value:"$500
Project Number: CA-3-P008630001