Enrique Betancourt is the director of the Citizens Security Initiative at Chemonics, where he contributes to a portfolio of citizen security and justice projects implemented across Latin America and the Caribbean. His work focuses on establishing collaborative mechanisms that bridge the gap between the design and implementation of evidence-based citizen security policies at the national…
Rosa Jimenez is a lawyer and democracy and governance expert with more than 10 years of experience managing USAID projects in the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, and Nicaragua. She is the former deputy chief of party on a USAID criminal justice systems strengthening project in the Dominican Republic.
After Colombia’s internal conflict that began in 1964, the country’s government and civil society needed to cultivate a public and institutional culture that prioritized protecting human rights and preventing violations of them. The USAID Human Rights Program (HRP) strengthened the capacity of the government and civil society organizations to prevent and address human rights violations.…
Kelly Brooks is an experienced international development specialist with 17 years of program management experience on projects aimed at addressing systematic violence inflicted against minorities and vulnerable communities. Kelly has nearly 10 years of experience managing USAID funded projects with Management Systems International, Florida International University, and most recently Chemonics. She is a respected human…
Although recent modernization and market reform have improved Vietnam’s economy, there are still vulnerable populations that have been unable to reap the benefits of this growth. The USAID Governance for Inclusive Growth (GIG) program worked with the public and private sectors in Vietnam to enhance governance and facilitate trade. The program improved the country’s legal…
Guatemala’s justice system is vital for the protection of its most vulnerable citizens, including youth, women, indigenous people, and LGBTQI populations. The Guatemalan justice system struggles to fulfill its obligations in the administration of justice, particularly in how it handles juvenile justice, gender-based violence, and human trafficking. USAID’s Youth and Gender Justice Project aims to…
As the government of Mexico implements its National Human Rights Plan at the federal and state levels, it must address structural challenges to human rights and enhance its dialogue with civil society organizations.
Despite gains made through prior USAID initiatives, Colombia still faces challenges in securing ongoing respect and protection for human rights. Vulnerable populations generally lack knowledge of protection mechanisms and of government efforts to prevent and respond to human rights violations. USAID’s Human Rights Activity (HRA) uses a three-pronged strategy — promote a culture of human…
An effective criminal justice system indiscriminately provides citizens with access to justice, promotes equality and demonstrates impartiality, maintains timely and efficient processes, combats the impunity of human rights violators, fosters citizens’ independence and responsibility, and earns the public’s trust. In the Dominican Republic, 20 years of justice reform and modernization efforts have led to some…
Why is social inclusion important for the development of Kosovo? Kosovo declared its independence in 2008 and as a new country has made significant progress towards consolidating its institutions. Social inclusion is a particularly important element to consider during the development and consolidation of the new country’s institutions and systems in order to ensure long-term…
Human traffickers prey on those who do not have access to viable economic opportunities or the means to pursue a better future. Exclusion from social opportunities and protections creates a cloak of invisibility for those who are forced into mining blood diamonds in Democratic Republic of the Congo, toiling in garment sweat shops in Bangladesh,…