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NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT
QUARTERLY REPORT #19
January – March 2019 CONTRACT No. AID-520-C-14-00002
April 22, 2019 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI Global, LLC.
NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT
QUARTERLY REPORT #19 January - March 2019
Project Title: Nexos Locales Project
Sponsoring USAID office: USAID/Guatemala
Contract Number: AID-520-C-14-00002
COR: Claudia Agreda
Contractor: DAI Global, LLC.
Date of Publication: April 22, 2019
The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ______3 SUMMARY OF TABLES, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND FIGURES ______4 ACRONYMS ______5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ______7 INTRODUCTION ______10
I. STEMMING ILLEGAL MIGRATION ______13 II. HIGH-LEVEL RESULTS ______17 III. SUMMARY OF KEY ACHIEVEMENTS ______20 IV. OBSTACLES FACED AND LESSONS LEARNED ______22 V. QUARTERLY PROGRESS RESULTS ______24 RESULT 1 ______23 RESULT 2 ______33 RESULT 3 ______44 RESULT 4 ______49 RESULT 5 ______54 RESULT 6 ______57 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES ______65 ALLIANCE FOR PROSPERITY REPORTING ______66
VI. TRAINING EVENTS ______70 VII. GRANTS ADMINISTRATION ______71 VIII. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ______72 IX. FINANCIAL INFORMATION ______79
ANNEX I: GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS ______81 ANNEX II: WORK PLAN ACTIVITY TRACKER ______85 ANNEX III: MUNICIPALITY TRACKER______90 ANNEX IV: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN ______95
ANNEX V: SUCCESS STORY (ATTACHED SEPARATELY)
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SUMMARY OF TABLES, FIGURES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS
TABLE 1: NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT MUNICIPALITIES ______11 TABLE 2: ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS IN SAN MARCOS, QUETZALTENANGO AND TOTONICAPÁN ______37 TABLE 3: ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS IN HUEHUETENANGO ______38 TABLE 4: ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS IN QUICHE. ______39 TABLE 5: LIST OF VIDEO TOPICS FOR SUB-ACTIVITY Y5 6.1.1. ______60 TABLE 6: GRANTS AWARDED IN Q19 ______71 TABLE 7: SHORT-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CONTRACTED IN Q19 ______75 TABLE 8: CONTRACT BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES AS OF MARCH 31, 2019 ______79
FIGURE 1: USAID NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT COVERAGE (YEAR 5) ______10 FIGURE 2: MAP OF BARILLAS, HUEHUETENANGO, URBAN WATER SYSTEM ______42 FIGURE 3: Q19 SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE ______78
PHOTO 1: ANALYZE WATER SERVICE PROVISION COSTS IN TODOS SANTOS CUCHUMATÁN ______27 PHOTO 2: SCENE FROM THE PACC WORKSHOP IN QUETZALTENANGO ______28 PHOTO 3: THE UAIP COORDINATOR IN USPANTÁN, QUICHE, USES THE UAIP CALENDAR______30 PHOTO 4: IN SIBINAL, SAN MARCOS, THE COMUDE COMMISSIONS ______31 PHOTO 5: TA TO THE FINANCIAL OFFICES IN SAN PABLO, IN SAN MARCOS ______32 PHOTO 6: THE SOCIAL AUDIT COMMISSION IN SAN RAFAEL PIE DE LA CUESTA ______33 PHOTO 7: COCODE MEMBERS IN HUEHUETENANGO, HUEHUETENANGO ______36 PHOTO 8: ECO TECHNICIAN IN ZACUALPA, QUICHÉ, PROVIDES TA ON FODA ______36 PHOTO 9: THE WOMEN'S NETWORK IN CHAJUL, QUICHE, DISCUSS THEIR FUNCTION MANUAL. ______40 PHOTO 10: MEMBERS OF THE SAN MARCOS, SAN MARCOS, CITIZEN CHARTER WORKING GROUP ______41 PHOTO 11: THE YOUTH NETWORK IN SAN JOSE EL RODEO, SAN MARCOS ______43 PHOTO 12: THE YOUTH PLANNING GROUP FOR THE FORUM IN SAN MARCOS, SAN MARCOS MEETS ____ 44 PHOTO 13: THE URBAN WATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN PRESENTATION IN SAN ANDRES SAJCABAJÁ _____ 47 PHOTO 14: WATER QUALITY TESTING IN SAN LORENZO, SAN MARCOS ______48 PHOTO 15: BARRIER TO COLLECT TRASH IN THE BLACK RIVER IN SACAPULAS, QUICHE ______48 PHOTO 16: A WOMEN'S GROUP IN JACALTENANGO, HUEHUETENANGO ______52 PHOTO 17: NEXOS LOCALES' OUTREACH SPECIALIST MEETS WITH SESAN TECHNICIAN ______52 PHOTO 18: FARMERS FROM TACANÁ, SAN MARCOS, TOUR TOMATO FARM ______54 PHOTO 19: THE FOREST RANGERS OF SAN JUAN ATITÁN, HUEHUETENANGO ______57 PHOTO 20: SCENE FROM A MEETING OF THE MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION ______63 PHOTO 21: VISIT TO HUEHUETENANGO BY USAD WASHINGTON INDIGENOUS ADVISOR ______72
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ACRONYMS AAC Area Advisory Committee ACH Accion Contra el Hambre ACODIHUE The Association for the Cooperative and Integral Development of Huehuetenango ADIMAM The Association for the Integral Development of the ‘Marquense’ Highlands (La Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Municipalidades del Altiplano Marquense) AGAAI Guatemalan Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities ANAM National Association of Municipalities ASOCUCH Association of Organizations in the Cuchumatanes A4P Alliance for Prosperity CCA Climate change adaptation CAI Indigenous Authority Councils CAM Municipal Affairs Commission CATIE Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture COCODE Community Development Council CODEDE Departmental Development Council COFETARN Commission for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources COMUDE Municipal Development Council COMUSAN Municipal Commission for Food Security and Nutrition CONRED National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction COP Chief of Party COPEP Municipal Programming and Budget Execution and Finance Committee CSO Civil Society Organization DAAFIM Municipal Administrative Assistance Financial Directorate DAFIM Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate DAI DAI Global, LLC DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DEMIN Integrated Municipal Evaluation DMM Municipal Women’s Directorate DMP Municipal Planning Directorate ECO Civil Association Western Cooperation Studies FODA Strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats FPRP Fiscal and Procurement Reform Project FtF Feed the Future GIS Geographic Information Systems GPS Global Positioning System LED Local Economic Development LOP Life of Project LTTA-CCN Long-term technical assistance- Cooperating Country National
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MANCOSEQ Mancomunidad de Municipios del Corredor Seco del Quiché MARN Environment and Natural Resource Ministry MINFIN Finance Ministry MOU Memorandum of Understanding OMAS Municipal Water and Sanitation Office OMDEL Municipal Local Economic Development Office OMJ Municipal Youth Office OMM Municipal Women’s Office OMRRHH Municipal Human Resources Office OMSAN Municipal Food Security and Nutrition Office PACC Plan Anual de Compras y Contrataciones PDM-POT Proceso de Actualización y Alineamiento de Planes Municipales de Desarrollo a Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial PDH Procurador de Derechos Humanos PFM Public Financial Management PMP Performance Management Plan POA Annual Operative Plan PPP Public-Private Partnerships PRONACOM Guatemalan National Competitively Program QR19 Quarterly Report 19 Q17 Quarter 17 (July-September 2018) Q18 Quarter 18 (October-December 2018) Q19 Quarter 19 (January-March 2019) Q20 Quarter 20 (April-June 2019) Q21 Quarter 21 (July-September 2019) Q22 Quarter 22 (October-December 2019) SAN Food Security and Nutrition SCEP Secretaria de Coordinacion Ejecutiva de Presidencia SEGEPLAN Planning and Programming Presidential Secretariat SEPREM Presidential Secretariat of Women SESAN Secretariat of Food Security and Nutrition (Secretaría de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional) SNIP National Public Investment System STTA Short-term technical assistance SWOT Strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats TA Technical Assistance UAIP Access to Public Information Unit UGAM Municipal Natural Resource Office UMG Urban Municipal Governance Project UNDP United Nations Development Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government WOLA Washington Office on Latin America X-CO USAID Cross Sectoral Meeting Y4 Year Four Y5 Year Five Y6 Year Six
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Quarterly Report captures the breadth of activities performed during the nineteenth quarter (Q19), which ranges from January 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019. It delineates high-level results, key achievements in each of the six result areas, obstacles faced during the reporting period, project management updates, and financial reporting against the six funding sources of the Nexos Locales contract.
Quarter 19 marked the start of the project’s staff reduction plan and Chief of Party transition that ensures a smooth exit from 14 municipalities in September 2019 and down to a total of 15 municipalities by March 2020. The 15 selected municipalities to remain will serve as the core geographic coverage area for the last three years of program implementation (2020-2022).
Also commencing during this reporting period was the start of the electoral period for the general elections (first round of voting to occur in June 2019). Given the project’s role, both with civil society and municipal authorities, the electoral period has presented unique challenges for program implementation, which have required slight adjustments to achieve desired outcomes. Although the year five work plan anticipated some of these challenges, this year’s elections are proving to be atypical. There are ongoing legal battles for candidate inscriptions, which are further shortening political campaigns and creating a scramble for get-out-the-vote efforts. Political infighting between aspiring mayoral candidates who form part of the administrative councils of incumbent mayors has limited the project’s ability to work. Incumbent mayors are concerned that aspiring candidates of their administrative councils are seeking to take credit for project advances and use them as evidence in supporting their opposition campaigns. To ensure complete neutrality and avoid political risks to the project, Nexos Locales has concentrated its efforts during the campaign period on technical assistance to individual members of key municipal offices. All public events or technical assistance sessions that can be used for political propaganda have been suspended.
Perhaps the most impactful event during the quarter has been the migration surge at the United States border. In March 2019, approximately 100,000 Central Americans fleeing from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras reached the border. This surge in illegal migration, driven principally by economic need and insecurity, has presented the project with a unique opportunity to highlight its active role in addressing the key drivers of migration, particularly in the areas of improved governance and promoting prosperity. Because Nexos Locales works in 13 different technical areas, it is capable of pivoting project efforts to support a reprioritization of development objectives in the region. The project’s dual role in strengthening the supply and demand sides of local government enable it to deliver an integral framework of good governance that strengthens the social contract and improves living conditions of ordinary Guatemalans. To showcase the project’s ongoing efforts, this quarterly report includes a special section on how the project’s work contributes to stemming the flow of illegal migration (see Section I: Stemming Illegal Migration) through the pillars of promoting prosperity and improved governance.
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Advances during the quarter in all six result areas of the contract are summarized below:
Result 1, Sound Public Financial Systems – Project staff supported the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorates (DAFIM) to complete and comply with five key financial reports that closeout the 2018 budget calendar year and propose the new 2019 municipal budgets. A digital management tool for the Municipal Access to Public Information Units (UAIP) was developed and installed in all municipalities under project coverage. In Concepcion Huista, located in the department of Huehuetenango, the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE, a form of city council), received recognition from the Departmental Development Council (CODEDE) for their exceptional management of their COMUDE as a result of project inputs to strengthen the COMUDE.
Result 2, Citizen Participation – The municipality of San Marcos, San Marcos soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision, outlining mutual responsibilities by citizens and municipal government for the use and provision of safe water. Copies of the Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the COCODE Basic Functions Manual was distributed to all 15 new municipalities1 to orient COMUDE members. Through three sub-grants, 169 civil society organizations (CSOs) developed 422 advocacy campaign plans on prioritized community development topics. Lastly, six women’s networks3 were accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE (a form of city council).
Result 3, Increase Quality of Potable Water – Four4 Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS) were established and two5 were institutionalized. Additionally, six municipalities6 invested in improving the infrastructure of their urban water systems through various means and four municipalities7 took action to improve water quality this quarter by installing water chlorination systems while the municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, installed a laboratory to process water samples for water quality monitoring.
Result 4 and 5, Local Economic Development and Climate Change Adaptation – In the nineteenth quarter, thirteen Municipal Women’s Directorates (DMMs)8 became members of the
1 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 2 All project municipalities except for 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa. Concepcion Chiquirichapa was excluded due to unfavorable conditions and an amendment was approved to reallocate the funds to creating and implementing a second advocacy campaign in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. 3 Huehuetenango: 1) San Juan Atitán; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 3) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; 6) Comitancillo; and Totonicapán; 6) Totonicapán. 4 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 3) San Pedro Necta; and 4) San Sebastián Coatan. 5 San Marcos: 1) Concepción Tutuapa; and 2) Comitancillo. 6 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Juan Cotzal; and 6) San Gaspar Chajul. 7 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiché: 3) Sacapulas; and 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche. 8 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) Jacaltenango; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) La Libertad; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Pedro Necta; 8) San Miguel Acatan; Page 8 of 108
Municipal Commission for Food Security and Nutrition (COMUSAN) and the Commission for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (COFETARN) in the COMUDE. Notably, the Food Security and Nutrition (SAN) Situation Room tool and guide, developed with support from Nexos Locales, is being implemented by the Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SESAN) in 340 municipalities. The project developed and installed a DMM digital management tool in 43 municipalities to guide DMM directors to break down the lengthier Annual Operative Plan (POA) into smaller, more defined actions. Lastly, seven municipalities9 completed actions from their Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans, to reduce the impacts of adverse climate change through the protection and conservation of municipal forest areas.
Result 6, ANAM & AGAAI – Fifty technical factsheets were developed to inform the production of online tutorial videos for improved municipal management through a grant to the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM). The Career Municipal Service bill was presented to the new members of the Municipal Affairs Commission in the Guatemalan Congress. Working in parallel, but not dependent on the passing of the Career Municipal Service bill, two10 Municipal Human Resource Offices were established.
Quiche: 9) San Juan Cotzal; San Marcos: 10) Tacana; 11) Tajumulco; 12) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 13) San Lorenzo. 9 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 3) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; Huehuetenango: 4) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 5) San Juan Atitán; and San Marcos: 8) Concepción Tutuapa. 10 San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; and 2) San Pablo. Page 9 of 108
INTRODUCTION
USAID’s Nexos Locales Project (Contract No. AID-520-C-14-00002), formerly known as the Local Governance Project, is an eight-year program that began in June 2014. Implemented by DAI Global, LLC (DAI), the project is based in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala with a regional office located in Huehuetenango. The primary goal of USAID’s Nexos Locales Project (hereinafter Nexos Locales) is to strengthen municipalities in the Western Highlands of the country so they foster more responsive, inclusive, and effective socio-economic development while reducing local vulnerabilities such as food insecurity and natural disasters. In order to achieve this goal and the objectives of both USAID and other development partners, local governments must be able to better manage public resources and deliver services in an efficient and transparent manner. Strong and inclusive municipal governments are necessary for local development and are crucial to the sustainability of interventions supported by the United States Government (USG) in Guatemala.
By enabling citizen participation for Guatemalans to play a more informed and active role in local decision-making processes, and strengthening municipal leadership in responding to citizen demands, Nexos Locales is delivering an integral framework of good governance that delivers effective socio-economic development in the region.
Geographic Focus: USAID strategically programs resources in the Western Highlands to achieve improved results as part of an integrated development model in Guatemala’s region of greatest need. The five departments of focus under the Nexos Locales project are: Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, San Marcos and Totonicapán.
Figure 1: USAID Nexos Locales Project Coverage (Year 5)
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From June 2014 through January 2018, Nexos Locales worked in 29 municipalities in these five departments. In January 2018, Nexos Locales signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with 15 additional municipalities selected from the Alliance for Prosperity Plan (A4P) in the five departments, for a total of 44 intervention municipalities. In alignment with the project’s implementation cycle, this quarter marked the beginning of a gradual phase out of 14 municipalities that will no longer form part of the project’s geographic coverage beginning in October 2019 (Q22). These 14 municipalities11 are not included in the Alliance for Prosperity (A4P) Plan but formed part of the original 30 municipalities that have received technical assistance since June 2014. To ensure a smooth phase out of these 14 municipalities, Nexos Locales has developed an exit strategy which involves the creation of an exit committee in each municipality to ensure sustained follow-up in specific areas by the municipality to continue gains made by the USAID Nexos Locales Project. The municipalities highlighted in red below are the 14 municipalities that will no longer form part of the Nexos Locales geographic coverage area by October 2019. Only the municipalities of Sacapulas, Chiantla and San Rafael Pie De La Cuesta will continue to receive targeted technical assistance specific to their use of a smartphone transparency application.
Table 1: Nexos Locales Project Municipalities12
Huehuetenango Quiché San Marcos Totonicapán Quetzaltenango San Miguel San Andres Comitancillo Totonicapán Concepcion Acatán Sajcabajá Chiquirichapa San Sebastian San Bartolome Concepcion Santa Lucia la San Juan Coatan Jocotenango Tutuapa Reforma Ostuncalco San Ildefonso Santa Cruz del San Marcos Ixtahuacán Quiché San Juan Atitán Chajul Tacaná San Pedro Chichicastenango San Miguel Necta Ixtahuacán Malacatancito Cunén Sibinal Huehuetenango San Juan Cotzal Tajumulco Chiantla Nebaj San Jose El Rodeo La Libertad Zacualpa Nuevo Progreso Malacatancito Uspantán San Lorenzo San Sebastian Sacapulas San Pablo Huehuetenango Todos Santos San Rafael Pie Cuchumatán de la Cuesta Barillas Concepcion Huista San Antonio
11 Quetzaltenango: 1) San Juan Ostuncalco; 2) Concepción Chiquirichapa; San Marcos: 3) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; 4) El Rodeo; 5) Nuevo Progreso; 6) San Pablo; 7) San Lorenzo; Huehuetenango: 8) La Democracia; 9) Cuilco; 10) San Antonio Huista; 11) Concepción Huista; 12) Jacaltenango; Quiché: 13) Uspantán; and 14) Sacapulas. 12 Blue Highlight= 15 new municipalities in Year 4 Red Highlight= Municipalities that will exit project coverage in Q21 Page 11 of 108
Huista Cuilco Jacaltenango La Democracia
Pursuant to Section F.6(2) of the contract, this Quarterly Report presents progress against the project’s six result areas. The Quarterly Report #19 (QR19) covers the quarterly reporting period between January and March 2019.
Result 1 – Sound public financial systems in place in order to promote transparency and permit participation by citizens in decision-making. Result 2 – Strengthen civil society participation in social accountability processes. Result 3 – Increased quality of potable water in 44 municipalities. Result 4 – Local Development Plans established and implemented in order to improve food security and economic development. Result 5 – Municipal Plans established to reduce climate change vulnerability and technical assistance (TA) provided for implementation of plans. Result 6 – Capacity increased for the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM) and/or the Guatemalan Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities (AGAAI) to support municipal development and replicate successful models nationwide, including municipal crime prevention plans.
The following cross-cutting themes are woven into all Nexos Locales Sub-Activities: Gender Equity & Social Inclusion Youth Indigenous Perspectives Feed-the-Future (FtF) Principles
The QR19 is divided into the following sections: Section 1– Stemming Illegal Migration Section II – High Level Results Section III –Summary of Key Achievements Section IV – Obstacles Faced Section V – Quarterly Progress Results Section VI – Training Events Section VII- Grants Administration Section VIII- Project Management Section IV – Financial Information Annex 1: Glossary of Key Terms Annex II: Work Plan Activity Tracker Annex III: Municipality Tracker Annex IV: Performance Management Plan (PMP) Annex V: Success Story
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I. STEMMING ILLEGAL MIGRATION
To address how Nexos Locales’ work contributes to stemming the flow of illegal migration to the United States, it is important to describe the project’s links to the Alliance for Prosperity Plan (A4P) and the U.S. Government’s Central America Strategy. Doing so will show how the project is supporting the primordial goal of eradicating the push factors—or drivers— of migration to the United States by addressing the pillars of i) Improved Governance / Institutions Strengthening and ii) Promoting Prosperity / Creating Economic Opportunity.
The Alliance for Prosperity Plan
The Alliance for Prosperity Plan (A4P) is a regional strategy endorsed by the Northern Triangle Governments of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The A4P identifies the key drivers of migration as being lack of economic opportunity, rampant violence, and family reunification. The first set of drivers can be considered “push factors”, which are disparities between the originating country and the allure of the destination country, while the latter can be understood as a “pull factor”, an attraction or benefit that already exist in the destination country and desired by the migrant. These drivers, according to the A4P, are to blame for the mass exodus of Central Americans to the United States.
To mitigate these drivers, the A4P has prioritized four strategic pillars: 1) create economic opportunities; 2) develop human capital; 3) enhance citizen security; and 4) strengthen institutions for increased citizen confidence in government. The A4P recognizes that successful implementation of the plan,
“…requires handling of our [public] resources in a way that is transparent and coordinated. Public spending must be more efficient and effective. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the financial management of the public sector by improving [our] budgetary procedures and how the budget is executed. Financial management must also be modernized so as to introduce new tools for financing and debt management. This will enable [us] the Northern Triangle countries to guarantee economic sustainability, have more resources for investment, and reduce wasteful spending.”
In Guatemala, there are fifty-one prioritized municipalities under the Alliance for Prosperity plan; of those, Nexos Locales is working in thirty. In support of the A4P’s strategic pillars, Nexos Locales contributes directly to pillars 1 and 4.
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The U.S. Strategy for Central America
Complementing the Alliance for Prosperity Plan is the U.S. Strategy for Central America, which promotes institutional reforms and addresses developmental challenges in three key areas: 1) Promoting Prosperity, 2) Enhancing Security and 3) Improving Governance. According to the State Department, “the strategy aims to protect American citizens by addressing the security, governance, and economic drivers of illegal immigration and illicit trafficking, while increasing opportunities for U.S. and other businesses.”
USAID’s Nexos Locales contributes to this bipartisan, multi-year strategy by Promoting Prosperity and Improving Governance in Guatemala’s Western Highlands – a region that faces elevated push factors for migration. The project is doing this by building the capacity of municipal governments and facilitating the participation of civil society in decision making processes that give them an active role in the development of their municipalities.
How is Nexos Locales’ Work Stemming Illegal Migration?
The project’s underlying, guiding premise is that better governed municipalities in the Western Highlands increase the prospects for successful USAID investments in health, education, economic growth, peace-building and violence prevention, thus leading to improved sectoral achievements collectively to reduce illegal migration to the United States. By offering citizens a stronger stake in their future, Nexos Locales is strengthening the social contract through more transparent and responsive municipal government that is better able to plan and invest revenue for expanded economic opportunities and improved public services, giving would-be migrants a reason to stay.
Nexos Locales’ work addresses the root causes of migration through an integral framework of strengthened municipal government capacity in 44 municipalities and increased citizen participation that is more informed and empowered to set the local development agenda.
Below are specific examples of how the USAID Nexos Locales project directly contributes to the pillars of Promoting Prosperity / Creating Economic Opportunities and Improving Governance / Institutions Strengthening.
PROMOTING PROSPERITY / CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Across 43 municipalities, a total of US$456,169.47 of local government’s own funding has been allocated toward improving the economic situation of women and creating sustainable livelihoods in the local economy. This has been accomplished through the project financed local economic development plans (LED) and strategy documents for the municipal women’s directorate (DMM) offices in 43 municipalities. These plans and strategy documents place emphasis on climate change adaptability, increased agricultural production, skills development for women, and improved food security and nutrition.
Development of institutional manuals, strengthened administrative procedures, and leadership courses delivered to 43 municipal women’s directorate offices (DMMs) for strengthened institutional capacity to advocate for and implement projects that improve food security and nutrition intiatives.
Strengthening of the Commission for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (COFETARN) in 43 municipalities and the establishment of Municipal Page 14 of 108
Offices of Local Economic Development (OMDELs) in 11 municipalities to be able to carry out and monitor the LED plans. The commissions create Annual Operative Plans (POAs) that break down the overarching goals of the LED plans into step-by-step activities to ensure steady advances throughout the year. The OMDELs coordinate with the COFETARNs to pursue financing activities through the local government and the private sector.
Development of human capital through the implementation of LED plans, particularly with women’s networks connected to the DMM and with farmers coordinating with the COFETARN. In the majority of LED plans the first action necessary to stimulate economic development is to increase the knowledge base of the participating citizens to better position them for engaging in broader markets. A key example is the municipality of Jacaltenango’s investment in increasing women’s artisanal skills to embroider, thus developing human capital through the DMM. In Q20, Nexos Locales will coordinate with the DMM to convert this human capital into increased economic opportunities by linking the DMM with international markets for commercializing the embroidered blouses.
IMPROVED GOVERNANCE / INSTITUTIONS STRENGTHENING
To-date, Nexos Locales has assisted thirty-seven municipalities (86%) in increasing own- source revenue by an average of 53%, enabling better resource allocation for improved public service delivery, particularly in water provision. This increase in own-source revenue enables municipalities to improve planning and allocation of public resources.
Through leveraging 21st century mobile technology, three smart phone transparency applications have been developed in the the municipalities of Chiantla, Huehuetenango, San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos, and Sacapulas, Quiche. All three transparency applications allow citizens to access, for free, information on the municipal budget, public expenditures, and to submit solicitations through their phones directly to municipal authorities for improved public service delivery13.
Capacity strengthening provided to a total of 674 COCODEs through budget analysis workshops and development of a COCODEs Basic Functions Manual to strengthen community development council capabilities for engaging actively and independently in municipal social accountability and citizen participation mechanisms. By raising awareness of civil society’s rights and responsibilities in municipal development, citizens are better able to develop and propose social projects that more closely align with community needs while emboldening them to seek more accountable local government.
Development and launch of three Citizen Charters that seek to improve municipal services in water and waste management, priorities identified by each of the municipalities. These citizen charters—being implemented in Sacapulas, San Marcos and San Miguel Ixtahuacan—have enabled the municipal governments to use GIS mapping for improved
13 Number of Information Requests Received through the transparency applications: San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta: 44 requests received, 20 responses and seven solutions Sacapulas: 32 requests received with all 32 resolved Chiantla: No information available at this time
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municipal planning that has led to better route planning for waste collection and enhanced distribution of safe water to citizens. The Citizen Charter is a tool that records agreements between service users and the municipal government on quality standards and the joint responsibilities in municipal service provision that both sides agree to uphold. The Charter helps improve the quality of government service provision by addressing many pre-conditions for quality services, while also serving as a grievance redress mechanism.
Creation and strengthening of Municipal Offices of Water and Sanitation and development of complementary Strategic Water Investment Plans to improve the maintenance and sustainable delivery of safe water services to citizens. So far, Nexos Locales has created and established 23 OMAS and institutionalized 9 where they already exist or where the municipality had a similarly functioning office. To sensitize the public on the importance of water chlorination and citizen responsibilities toward paying municipal service fees, Nexos Locales developed and disseminated throughout the entire Western Highlands listening area, radio messages in Spanish and 8 mayan languages. The increase in revenue in water service collection, supported by innovative uses in GIS, has led to upgraded water tanks and distribution systems, as well as chlorination testers.
Institutional strengthening of the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM) to provide improved municipal management counsel and services, which have included the institutionalization of municipal best practices workshops, establishment and strengthening of municipal human resource offices, and currently, the development of online training material in key municipal management topics. Most importantly, ANAM is currently spearheading efforts to advocate for the passage of a career municipal service law that shields against turnover of municipal staff for political motivations and the creation of a professional career track at the municipal level. The passage of the Career Municipal Service Law is critical to establishing professionalized municipal administration that ensures job-security for municipal employees, strengthens institutional knowledge of local development issues, and de-politicizes the administration of municipal services to all citizens as guaranteed under the decentralization law.
Strengthened indigenous representation in the COMUDEs through the creation of Comites de Asesorias Indigenas (CAI), led by Nexos Locales’ key national level partner, the Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities (AGAAI). To-date, 18 CAIs have been created, 12 have been recognized to participate as observing members in the COMUDEs, with 4 being accredited to participateand vote in the COMUDE. Indigenous leaders play a critical role in local conflict mitigation—particularly in facilitating inter- generational dialogue with youth—and preserving ancestral practices and knowledge essential for the protection of natural resources at the community level. Indigenous leadership in the COMUDEs plays an important role for municipal development.
Youth participation increased in local decision making processes through the development, establishment, and accreditation of municipal youth offices or youth commissions in city council meetings. Nexos Locales develops leadership skills amongst youth to address their most urgent needs, which have been identified as a greater demand for non-agricultural jobs and opportunities as a means for not migrating. Nexos Locales has created youth networks that are able to influence political and economic policies affecting youth. To- date, Nexos Locales has strengthened municipal youth offices in 23 municipalities and
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established 24 youth networks, whose principal function is to advocate for and develop projects that address youth needs.
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II. HIGH-LEVEL RESULTS
Nexos Locales’ mandate is to encourage and incentivize responsible and transparent municipal management. To achieve this mandate, the project has created tools, developed methodologies and initiatives, and showcased best practices that demonstrate expertise in the six project result areas. Nexos Locales is a local governance project that invests in local results. Due to the success of this work, Nexos Locales often has impact far beyond its areas of intervention. The tools developed under the project, initiatives and experiences were, and will continue to be, disseminated by Nexos Locales at a national level—through the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM) and on the project website—to improve municipal governance beyond the 44 municipalities under project coverage, reaching all 340 municipalities in the Republic of Guatemala. During the quarter, the following high-level results were achieved:
1) Municipal Annual Access to Information Planner- Similar to the Municipal Annual Planner (used by the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate), the Access to Public Information Unit (UAIP) Planner is an innovative management tool that runs off Microsoft Excel and operates without internet connection. Once installed on a municipal computer, the UAIP Digital Calendar sends over 75 notifications to UAIP staff with reminders of key reporting deadlines from now through 2022. Beyond simply notifying the user of dates, the calendar contains detailed guides on how to correctly complete reporting requirements as defined by Decree 57-2008, Article 19 and 20, while also providing easy- to-use links for downloading official reporting templates. The UAIP Digital Calendar can be downloaded here: https://nexoslocales.com/planificador-para-la-unidad-de-acceso-a-la- informacion-publica/
2) Citizen Charter, San Marcos- On January 29, 2019 in the municipality of San Marcos, a working group comprised of civil society, private sector representatives, local authorities and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company, soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision, in a private setting. The soft launch was financed by the municipality of San Marcos. Nexos Locales supported the working group as they developed the Charter, a tool to record written agreements between citizens and the municipality on quality standards and the joint responsibilities of each party in municipal service provision. The working group received 3,800 printed copies of the Charter (financed by Nexos Locales) for distribution to service users to publicize the agreements of the Charter. Developing the Charter proved to be an enriching experience in connecting end service users and service providers in pursuing agreements that will improve service provision over time. The project used its integrated team of technical specialists in the areas of public financial management, water, municipal outreach, and citizen participation to support the development of the Charter.
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3) Increase of Municipalities Providing Safe Water- Quarter 19’s water tests in 40 project municipalities showed the following results14:
a) Project inputs more than quadrupled over baseline, the number of municipalities (from 7 to 3015 municipalities) providing safe water to citizens, representing 75% of the tested municipalities. b) Eleven16 of 12 of the new municipalities under project coverage, are providing safe water to citizens, a 300% increase from the baseline (in March 2018, only three municipalities were providing safe water) after only a year of project inputs17.
14 Excluding: 1) San Bartolomé Jocotenango, Quiche; 2) Santa Lucia la Reforma, Totonicapán; 3) San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango; and 4) Malacatancito, Huehuetenango. *See Y5 Work Plan for more detail, page 3 15 The baseline of seven is a compilation of the 2015 baseline of the original 30 municipalities (4) and the 2018 baseline of the new 15 municipalities (3). 16 Totonicapán, Totonicapán was the only new Municipality that did not test with safe water. 17 There are 15 new municipalities. Of these 15 new, 3 are not included per the explanation in the Y5WP (San Bartolome Jocotenango, San Juan Atitan, and Malacatancito)
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III. SUMMARY OF KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
This section provides a summary of the key achievements made in Quarter 19. A full description of the achievements can be found in their respective sections of this report by locating the sub- activity number in Section V: Quarterly Progress Results.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF QUARTER 19:
Nexos Locales supported 43 municipalities to successfully complete five key financial reports with increased efficiency and compliance. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.1.) The project developed and installed a digital calendar tool for use by the Municipal Access to Public Information Units in all municipalities under project coverage. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.3.) The municipality of Concepcion Huista, in the department of Huehuetenango, received recognition for exceptional management of the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE, a form of city council) from the Departmental Development Council (CODEDE). (Sub-Activity Y5 1.3.1.) Nexos Locales distributed copies of the project-developed Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the COCODE Basic Functions Manual in all 15 new municipalities18 to orient COMUDE members. (Activity 2.2.) Through three sub-grants, 169 civil society organizations (CSOs) developed 4219 advocacy campaign plans. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.1.) In San Marcos, San Marcos, a working group comprised of civil society, private sector representatives, local authorities and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company, soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.4.1.) Six women’s networks20 were accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE (a form of city council). (Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.2.) Four21 Municipal Water and Sanitation Office (OMAS) were established and two22 were institutionalized. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.1.)
18 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 19 All project municipalities except for 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa. Concepcion Chiquirichapa was excluded due to unfavorable conditions and an amendment was approved to reallocate the funds to creating and implementing a second advocacy campaign in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. Due to the instability of the participation of the CSOs in Santa Lucia, the management decision was made to not include them in the grant. Technical assistance with Santa Lucia is being handled in-house. 20 Huehuetenango: 1) San Juan Atitán; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 3) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; 6) Comitancillo; and Totonicapán; 6) Totonicapán. Page 20 of 108
Six municipalities23 invested in improving the infrastructure of their urban water systems. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2.) With project support, four municipalities24 took action to improve water quality this quarter, comprising of: three municipalities25 installing water chlorination systems and the municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, installing a laboratory to process water samples for ongoing water quality monitoring. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2.) Thirteen DMMs26 became members of the COMUSAN and COFETARN commissions in the COMUDE. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.1.1.) The SAN Situation Room tool and guide, developed with support from Nexos Locales, is officially being implemented by SESAN in 340 municipalities. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.2.1.) The project developed and installed a DMM calendar in 43 municipalities to guide DMM directors to break down larger POA actions into smaller, more detailed steps. (Sub- Activity Y5 4.1.1.) Seven municipalities27 completed actions from their Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans, to reduce the impacts of adverse climate change. (Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.1.) Fifty technical factsheets were developed to inform the production of online tutorial videos for improved municipal management through a grant to ANAM. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.1.) The Career Municipal Service bill was presented to the new members of the Municipal Affairs Commission in the Guatemalan Congress. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4.) Two28 Municipal Human Resource Offices were established. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4.)
21 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 3) San Pedro Necta; and 4) San Sebastián Coatan. 22 San Marcos: 1) Concepción Tutuapa; and 2) Comitancillo. 23 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Juan Cotzal; and 6) San Gaspar Chajul. 24 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiché: 3) Sacapulas; and 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche. 25 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; and Quiché: 3) Sacapulas. 26 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) Jacaltenango; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) La Libertad; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Pedro Necta; 8) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 9) San Juan Cotzal; San Marcos: 10) Tacana; 11) Tajumulco; 12) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 13) San Lorenzo. 27 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 3) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; Huehuetenango: 4) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 5) San Juan Atitán; and San Marcos: 8) Concepción Tutuapa. 28 San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; and 2) San Pablo. Page 21 of 108
IV. OBSTACLES FACED AND LESSONS LEARNED
OBSTACLES FACED AND LESSONS LEARNED IN QUARTER NINETEEN
Pre-election Political Divisions – Project staff have experienced early signs of the pre-election political divisions that will increasingly impede the negotiation and consensus-building elements of good governance within municipalities. This is mainly coming from compeitition between city council members and incumbent mayors who are running separate political campaigns.
Water-related Social Conflicts – The project detected four water-related social conflicts. These occurred in the following municipalities: 1) Uspantán, Quiché29; 2) Cunén, Quiché30; 3) Chiantla, Huehuetenango31; and 4) San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiché. On several occasions, these conflicts resulted in the blocking of main roadways and closure of the municipal building. The project will continue to monitor these situations as they have the potential to negatively impact program implementation.
Elimination of Public Events- On February 12, 2019, Nexos Locales received official guidance outlining key directives from USAID Guatemala on the electoral process. One directive states that the project “should not support and/or participate in public events with executive branch and municipal officials”. Given the nature of the Nexos Locales project, and its collaboration with municipal officials, this has required Nexos Locales to scale back activities involving commissions or administrative councils where their members are seeking to run for office, particularly in public spaces where project activities can be used as political scoring. As an alternative, the project is focusing project interventions during the electoral period on individual technical assistance in advancing municipal DEMIN scores and on civil society to implement advocacy campaigns.
Huehuetenango Political Challenges- In 2018, the mayor of Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango, Geronimo Martinez, was accused of being a government contractor while holding public office.
29 Uspantan, Quiche: Citizens protested the lack of water which was a result of landowners limiting truck access to take out the municipal water to citizens (similar as the Chiantla and San Bartolome Jocotenango cases). The municipal authorities are interested in resolving the conflict with the landowners who are claiming the water is theirs. Water has thus moved to the forefront of the electoral agenda in Uspantan. 30 Cunen, Quiche: Eight communities in Cunen do not agree with a new municipal water project. They see the budget as overpriced and political intentions of the municipal government as suspicious. This project will only benefit the community of Chiul (with a large population which is why citizens feel that the mayor is intending to ‘buy’ votes with the water project) and the water spring property has supposed legal complications. On March 4, 2018, the citizens protested by blocking the road from Nebaj to Santa Cruz del Quiche for three hours. 31 Chiantla, Huehuetenango and San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiche (same situation): The conflict centered around citizens breaking pipelines in protest, claiming their landrights to water sources that the municipality claimed to have bought. This situation led to the municipality not having constant water for over a month. The mayor and the supposed owners arrived at an agreement and water service provision is now normalized.
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The mayor’s legal situation has complicated the project’s ability to operate in the municipality due to his absence in the municipality to avoid threats of capture. The mayor has announced his intention to run for re-election but he has yet to be officially approved as a candidate due to the outstanding legal situation. This unstable environment has made advancing project interventions in Huehuetenango challenging.
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V. QUARTERLY PROGRESS RESULTS
SPECIAL ACTIVITY: ELECTORAL STRATEGY
The pre-electoral process was officially launched on January 18, 2019 with political campaigns starting on March 18, 2019. This year’s elections are particularly unique in that the electoral process was moved up by three months, leaving a six-month lame duck period between outgoing and incoming mayors (June 2019 to January 2022). The Year 5 project Work Plan delineates an electoral transition strategy, which, in Q19, was kicked-off by careful information gathering on mayoral candidates and their administrative councils within the project’s 44 municipalities. This information will inform an analytical PowerPoint presentation to USAID, providing an overview of the electoral landscape and potential for conflict in the 44 municipalities. Examples of potential conflict might be a highly polarized city council and/or electorate, such that on-going USAID projects could face difficulties in getting decisions or consensus with any counterpart municipal or community leader during the campaign cycle. The analysis will also seek to identify any strong indicators of mayoral candidates who favor corruption and/or are connected to organized crime. Following the elections, a more detailed report will lay out major social and political developments that could impede or facilitate implementation of USAID projects in Guatemala. Because of the sensitivities surrounding this report, information gathering will be primarily based on public knowledge in the municipalities and project experiences working in the municipalities. The major pre-electoral presentation will be presented at the May 2019 USAID Cross-Sectoral Meeting (X- CO), and separately, to key USAID and US Embassy staff. The project expects to deliver its more detailed “white paper” immediately following the election results.
Throughout the quarter, project outreach specialists completed an inventory of key municipal government personnel in all 44 municipalities. This inventory will serve as selection criteria for how Nexos Locales chooses which 15 municipalities to work with during the final three years of program implementation (Y6-8). Those municipalities whose mayors do not turn over, or have minimal turnover, of key municipal staff will be scored favorably.
During the next quarter (Q20), these same project outreach specialists will begin collecting digital copies of all manuals, annual operative plans (POAs) and any other municipal documents developed with support from Nexos Locales, to guide newly elected administrations.
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RESULT 1: SOUND PUBLIC FINANCIAL SYSTEMS IN PLACE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND PERMIT PARTICIPATION BY CITIZENS IN DECISION MAKING
Background: Result 1 calls for activities that strengthen municipal capacity in public financial management (PFM), governance and transparency, and that improve the mancomunidades’ ability to implement regional strategies on behalf of their member municipalities. Activities are coordinated with ruling bodies of the corresponding themes, such as Ministry of Finance (MINFIN) and General Planning Secretariat (SEGEPLAN). The Nexos Locales approach includes collaboration among municipalities to share best practices and lessons-learned, the use of local staff from partner institutions, and the encouragement of citizens to use national transparency and budget laws to access information on municipal budgets, expenditures, and conduct.
In Year 1, the project completed assessments of PFM and Municipal Development Council (COMUDE) functioning in order to draw detailed pictures of technical assistance needs in each municipality. Using the data and information collected in Year 1 diagnostics, Nexos Locales developed customized approaches for delivering technical assistance (TA) to project municipalities in Year 2. Year 3 saw a continuation of training that deepened municipalities’ fundamental understanding of public financial management and the sound functioning of the COMUDE, while also responding to the specific needs of each municipality through individualized TA. In Year 4, the project refined the integrated municipal evaluation (DEMIN) tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate (DAFIM), the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE), and Public Access to Information Offices (UAIP).
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 19TH QUARTER Nexos Locales supported 43 municipalities to successfully close out the 2018 financial year by completing five key financial reports with increased efficiency and compliance. (Sub- Activity Y5 1.2.1.) The project developed and installed a digital calendar tool for use by the Municipal Access to Public Information Units in all municipalities under project coverage. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.3.) The municipality of Concepcion Huista, in the department of Huehuetenango, received recognition for exceptional management of the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE, a form of city council) from the Departmental Development Council (CODEDE). (Sub-Activity Y5 1.3.1.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter for Result 1.
Activity 1.1—Assess capacity of target municipalities, particularly in the areas of revenue generation, purchasing and procurement, administration and planning, and compliance with the Public Access to Information Law.
All required assessments under this Activity were completed in Year 4. No additional assessments are planned during the remainder of the life of project (LOP). Page 25 of 108
Sub-Activity Y5 1.1.1. GIS Support: In January 2019, the project phased out its long-term GIS Specialist, as per the staff reduction plan. Before his departure, the GIS specialist detailed advances made in 12 of 13 municipalities32 participating in GIS activities in a handover report describing the knowledge base of each municipal GIS administrator and the progress made in the GIS database for water user registration. The project’s M&E specialist, who is experienced in GIS software, completed a follow-up tour of five sample municipalities33 as a form of rapid assessment for proposing follow-up technical assistance to the 12 municipalities. By meeting with Municipal Water and Sanitation Office (OMAS) coordinators and discussing their experience with GIS, the project was able to receive personalized feedback that informed a plan for further actions related to GIS, particularly to aid municipalities in tracking municipal water service users’ debt. By using GIS to map service users’ current and outstanding debts, the municipality is better able to follow- up with individual users to collect outstanding water fees. The visual mapping is essential for this follow-up.
Simultaneous to the M&E Specialists field visits, PFM technicians continued working with the DAFIM to guarantee that 90% of the municipal database of water service users is updated in ServiciosGL, a necessary pre-requisite to being able to map water users and their payment statuses (delinquent versus current). All 12 municipalities completed updating their municipal database of water service users, achieving 95-100% registration.
In Q20, the project will contract a short-term consultant to develop a manual to provide step-by- step instructions and guidance on how to transfer the water user payment database to Quantum GIS (the open-source version of the GIS software). This information will be used to generate maps depicting each service user’s debt status and level. The guide will be launched in Q20 at a three-day workshop for OMAS coordinators (with support from R3 technicians) from the 12 municipalities34 participating in GIS activities. Follow-on TA will be provided by the project’s water technicians.
Activity 1.2—Deliver technical assistance that meets the specific needs of the target municipalities.
Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.1. TA to Advance Overall DAFIM Performance Against the DEMIN35: This quarter, technical assistance provided by the project’s PFM specialists to the Municipal Directorates of
32 Quiché: 1) San Juan Cotzal; 2) Santa María Nebaj; 3) Uspantán; 4) Sacapulas; 5) Santo Tomas Chichicastenango; Quetzaltenango: 6) Concepción Chiquirichapa; San Marcos: 7) San Pablo; 8) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; 9) Nuevo Progreso; Huehuetenango: 10) Chiantla; 11) Cuilco; and 12) La Libertad. *Note: The municipality of San Juan Ostuncalco, in Quetzaltenango, was eliminated as a participating municipality because the DAFIM does not use ServiciosGL. As of 2010, the official system is ServiciosGL. When San Juan Ostuncalco chose not to migrate its system from SiafMuni it chose an obsolete system that is no longer maintained by the Finance Ministry nor Microsoft Windows (in part). This puts at risk all of the data collected there. Administratively it affects their ability to manage billing, debt collection and administrative controls. 33 San Marcos: 1) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; 2) Nuevo Progreso; Quiche: 3) Chichicastenango; Huehuetenango: 4) Chiantla; and Quetzaltenango: 5) San Juan Ostuncalco. 34 The project will assess the existing political will in each of the 13 municipalities for participating in GIS activities and determine in Q20 if those municipalities will continue receiving support. 35 The project developed a personalized technical assistance tool called the ‘Integrated Municipal Evaluation’ or DEMIN (for Desempeño Municipal Integrado). Each DEMIN is a list of indicators to evaluate the strength of the municipal office or entity. Page 26 of 108
Finance Administration (DAFIM) focused on four key topics for improving the DAFIM’s performance against the DEMIN. The five topics include: 1) Closing out the Municipal Fiscal Year; 2) PACC Workshop; 3) Smartphone App for Water Meter Reading; 4) Providing ongoing TA; and 5) COPEP Strengthening.
1) Close of the Fiscal Year: With TA from Nexos Locales, five key financial year closeout reports were submitted on-time in each of the 43 municipalities in January 2019. These reports include: 1) 2019 Budget; 2) Budget Liquidation 2018; 3) 2018 Balance Sheet; 4) 17 Accounting Annexes and Indexes 2018; and 5) Municipal Inventory 2018. Nexos Locales’ support to the DAFIMs addressed the personalized needs of each municipality’s financial management weakness. The Photo 1: TA to analyze water service provision project ensured each municipality used the costs in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, correct financial forms, which prior to the Huehuetenango. project’s intervention, was not consistently being followed. These forms are all included in the Annual Municipal Planner and contribute to increasing the SEGEPLAN municipal ranking in the transparency indicator. Each of the five reports described below were submitted on time and with reduced errors. a) 2019 Municipal Budgets: The Municipal 2019 Budget of all 43 municipalities were submitted to the Ministry of Finance, the Accounting Controller, the Planning and Programming Presidential Secretariat (SEGEPLAN), and the Guatemalan Congress. While municipalities do historically complete this report, project support brought to light key ways that DAFIM directors can increase their efficiency and accuracy. b) 2018 Budget Liquidation: 2018 Budget Liquidation is an essential document that demonstrates how well a municipality implemented its budget and completing public financial accountability reports (referred to as 'rendiciones de cuentas' in Spanish), as outlined in the law. Project support to this process assured an evaluation of cost control and compliant spending. The PFM technicians also worked with the DAFIM to complete an analysis of vendor selection to monitor whether the municipality is practicing adequate price competition for local procurement. Nexos Locales emphasized that by fostering better price competition the municipality will obtain better value for services rendered and goods purchased, thereby stimulating the local economy. c) 2018 Balance Sheets: The 2018 Balance Sheets are registered on the digital platform, SICOIN GL, and show the final financial status of the general balance and any outstanding payments. d) Accounting Indices: The 17 Accounting Annexes and Indices 2018 are submitted to the State Accounting Directorate which consolidates all of the key financial information from each municipality to develop a national financial health report. This consolidated report guides the national government as it makes financial decisions throughout the year. Prior to project intervention, the majority of the 43 municipalities did not complete this report. In Nebaj, located in the department of Quiché, the DAFIM director commented, “I didn’t know we had to complete this report,
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and our internal auditor didn’t know either. Without Nexos Locales’ technical assistance, we would have been sanctioned.” e) The Municipal Inventory 2018: this report clearly outlines and provides legal justification for all new purchases of equipment and property made throughout the fiscal year. Nexos Locales provided extensive technical assistance in updating the 2018 municipal inventories and completed this TA with the submission of the inventory reports. PFM technicians noted that local governments lack a manual outlining the procedures for goods received and inventory registration, as well as removing items from the inventory. In Q19 the project began developing a generic manual for inventory management. The manual will be presented to each of the 43 municipalities in Q20 with TA for its adaption to fit each unique municipal context.
2) PACC Workshop: On February 11-12, 2019, Nexos Locales financed the participation of 16 municipal staff from four municipalities to be trained on the new online platform for the Annual Contracting and Purchasing Plan (Plan Anual Photo 2: Scene from the PACC workshop in Quetzaltenango. de Compras y Contrataciones [PACC]). In 2018, the Finance Ministry proposed an initiative to improve public procurement processes and transform the GUATECOMPRAS platform into a transactional tool. USAID’s Fiscal and Procurement Reform Project (FPRP) and the Finance Ministry facilitated this two-day workshop in Quetzaltenango as a joint effort with Nexos Locales to train five pilot municipalities on the new PACC formulation module. Four of the five municipalities invited by Nexos Locales were in attendance: 1) La Libertad, Huehuetenango; 2) Tacaná, San Marcos; 3) Chichicastenango, Quiché; and 4) Totonicapán, Totonicapán. Unfortunately, the municipality of Santa Cruz de Quiche was not able to attend due to an ongoing audit in that municipality. Participants of the workshop included Municipal Financial Directors, Budget Managers, Internal Auditors, and Purchasing Coordinators. Nexos Locales technical staff in public financial management also attended the training as a means of giving follow-up to pilot municipalities. This action supports the Finance Ministry’s evolution towards increasing the use of technology. Nexos Locales supports the modernization of municipal financial management by training municipal staff in successfully transitioning their systems to online platforms and in feeling comfortable using technology as means of increasing administrative efficiencies. The project was informed the public launch of the online module by the Finance Ministry is scheduled for Q21.
3) Smartphone App for Water Meter Reading: Last quarter, the Direccion de Asistencia a la Administracion Financiera Municipal (DAAFIM) launched a digital application that serves to track water usage and associated fees. Nexos Locales committed to supporting the app’s rollout in six pilot municipalities36 by procuring smartphones and mobile printers, while also providing technical support as needed. In Q19, the Finance Ministry requested
36 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) La Libertad; Quiché: 3) Sacapulas; 4) Chichicastenango; 5) Santa Cruz del Quiché; and San Marcos: 6) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. Page 28 of 108
project support in completing a diagnostic in the six pilot municipalities to ensure the successful implementation of the app. Based on those diagnostics, a work plan was developed with project support in each of the participating municipalities. The work plans identify tasks and responsible entities, with deadlines attached to ensure that systems are in place when the equipment is donated. Each work plan was presented to and approved by the Municipal Council (pending San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta). This 21st century mobile technology will increase municipal efficiency and effectiveness in colleting own source revenue, reducing the time investment of distributing bills by up to 50%. In Q20, the project will donate the smartphones and mobile printers and begin to provide TA on the app’s use.
4) Ongoing Technical Assistance: In Q19, Nexos Locales supported the DAFIM in 43 municipalities to complete an in-depth cost-analysis of water public service subsidies using a project developed tool from 2018 that allows municipal staff to calculate the ratio between expenditures and revenue related to water service provision. The tool shows how increases or decreases in water fees will affect the subsidy. In Sibinal, located in the department of San Marcos, the DAFIM used the tool to calculate that water service provision in 2018 cost the municipality Q177,169 (USD 23,941) while only generating Q16,803 (USD 2,270) in revenue: a service costing ten times the revenue the municipality received. In Sacapulas, Quiché, the municipality used this tool to determine the appropriate water fee to cover the expense of water service provision, and determined it will raise the fee from Q1 to Q15 per month (USD 0.74 to 2.02). Nexos Locales works with the DAFIM directors to identify these subsidies and explain the consequences and benefits to local authorities. The project provides technical assistance to the municipalities to develop a more sustainable solution for collecting service fees that maintain quality provision. This analysis paves the way for municipalities to increase own source revenue and reinvest funds into the OMAS and their complementary strategic water investment plans, contributing to improved water quality delivery.
5) Strengthening the Municipal Programming of Budget Execution and Finance Committee (COPEP): This committee analyzes, reviews and controls the flow of revenue and payments that each municipal government makes. It serves as a monitor of cost efficiency and responsible use of municipal resources through budget authorizations to each municipal office as they implement actions outlined in approved budgets. Although mandated by law (Acuerdo Ministerial No. 86-2015, Finance Ministry, Municipal Integrated Financial Administration Manual), most municipalities have an established but non- functional COPEP. In Q19, PFM technicians administered TA to strengthen these committees by first raising awareness with local authorities of the importance and functions of the committee. Next quarter, TA will continue to the COPEPs.
Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.2. Further Dissemination of Radio Spots on Citizen Responsibilities to Pay Municipal Fees: In Q19, PFM technicians provided ongoing technical assistance to the DAFIMs as they implement their municipal publicity plans (developed in Year 4). Municipalities continue to play the radio spots, developed in Year 4, at COMUDE meetings, public events and on local television. In Q20, the project will continue to provide technical assistance as needed for the ongoing implementation of these plans.
Compliance with the Access to Public Information Law In Years 3 and 4, all project municipalities received individual TA on the implementation of the Public Access to Information Law. This included the provision of standardized forms developed by Page 29 of 108
the project for citizens to request information, municipal responses to the requests, and logging relevant actions. The project also implemented the best practice of proactive public disclosure through advising on the development of municipal informational materials, web portals, and replication of the Chiantla Transparency Smartphone Application and Citizen Charters. Nexos Locales will continue these practices in Year 5 (see Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.3.).
Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.3. TA in Implementation of the Public Access to Information Law: In Q19, Nexos Locales provided TA in two prioritized areas to support the implementation of the Public Access to Information Law in 43 municipalities:
UAIP Calendar: Building off the success of the Municipal Annual Planner tool, which was launched in mid-2018, Nexos Locales adapted this digital management tool for use by the Municipal Access to Public Information Units (UAIP). Similar to the Municipal Annual Planner (used by the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate), the UAIP tool runs off Microsoft Excel and operates without internet connection. Once installed on a municipal computer, the UAIP digital tool sends over 75 notifications to UAIP staff with reminders of key reporting deadlines Photo 3: The UAIP coordinator in Uspantán, from now through 2022. Beyond simply notifying the user Quiche, uses the UAIP Calendar. of dates, the tool contains detailed guides on how to correctly complete reporting requirements as defined by Decree 57-2008, Article 19 and 20, while also providing easy-to-use links for downloading official reporting templates. Given that a local government’s compliance with the Access to Public Information Law is largely dependent on receiving accurate and timely information from other municipal offices, the calendar provides the UAIPs with official letter templates to facilitate contact with municipal offices and request the necessary data. Forty-three project municipalities now have this tool installed in the UAIP’s computer. The UAIP Digital Tool seeks to increase municipal compliance with the Access to Public Information Law and to promote more transparent municipal governments. Nexos Locales is currently coordinating with the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM) to disseminate the UAIP Digital Calendar in municipalities outside of project coverage in Q20 as well as with the PDH to present the tool as a best practice. The UAIP Digital Calendar can be downloaded here: https://nexoslocales.com/planificador-para-la-unidad- de-acceso-a-la-informacion-publica/
PDH Annual Report: In January (with project support), all 43 municipalities successfully submitted their annual report of public information requests to the Procurador de Derechos Humanos (PDH, who are responsible for municipalities’ compliance with the Public Access to Information Law). The PDH requires detailed online reporting of each public for information request that a municipality receives. In the reports to the PDH, the UAIP coordinator must enter specific details for each request (including date requested, date resolved, nature of request, and data on the requestor). Failure to submit these reports results in the PDH filing a formal complaint against the municipal mayor, which can also result in a hefty penalty that requires a laborious process to annul. To date, Nexos Locales has received confirmation that in 31 municipalities37 in 2018, 554 written and 330 verbal public information requests were made and resolved.
37 Data was not yet extractable from: Page 30 of 108
Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.4. Replication of the Transparency App: In Q19, Work plan Action Memo #204 was approved to expand the activities related to the replication of the transparency apps. Downloads to date are as follows: 1) Somos Chiantla: 1,762; 2) SANRAFAINFO: 367; and 3) Mi Sacapulas: 487. The new follow-on activities will commence in Q20 and include the following:
1) Three promotional videos to describe the utility and functions of the smartphone apps 2) Ongoing TA to the municipal planning directorate (DMP) to ensure that citizen comments on service provision are being addressed resulting in a report presented to the COMUDE during each session 3) Three tutorial videos on app management to ensure sustainability post-elections 4) TA to CSOs to incorporate the use of the apps in the implementation of advocacy campaigns 5) Institutionalization of the apps through increased TA to municipal offices key to its sustainability
Citizens’ Guide to the Budget: This tool was developed in Year 3 under Sub-Activity Y3 2.2.3. Citizens’ Guide to Municipal Budgets.
Activity 1.3—Strengthen the role of COMUDEs to engage citizens in government decision-making.
Sub-Activity Y5 1.3.1. Consolidation of COMUDE Strengthening: This quarter, technical assistance to the Municipal Development Councils (COMUDE) emphasized the following key topics to improve the COMUDE’s performance against the DEMIN:
Commission Strengthening: In Q19, technical outreach staff continued working with the prioritized COMUDE commissions in all 43 municipalities (Citizen Participation, Women and Youth, Municipal Commission for Economic Growth, Tourism, Environment, and Natural Photo 4: In Sibinal, San Marcos, the COMUDE Resources [COFETARN], COMUSAN). In commissions have a break-out session to advance on January 2019, the majority of the COMUDE Function Manual development. commissions were reorganized in the form of COMUDE members changing their commissions. In those cases where there has been a reorganization of COMUDE members, the project has experienced a slight delay in the form of refresher TA to introduce the new members of the commissions to the function manuals and POAs of that commission. In some municipalities, the COCODEs (who are also COMUDE members) rotate every two years, resulting in lost knowledge within the commissions. To remedy this, in Year 6, COMUDEs will be able to access four online videos produced under Sub-Activity
Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; Quiche: 2) Cunen; 3) Sacapulas; 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 6) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 7) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 8) San Marcos; 9) Sibinal; 10) San Lorenzo; 11) El Rodeo; and Quetzaltenango: 12) San Juan Ostuncalco. Page 31 of 108
Y5 6.1.1. through ANAM that specifically addresses COMUDE commissions and their role in municipal development.
Once the commissions are reorganized and updated on the advances made in 2018, specifically on each commission’s POA and Function Manuals, the commissions begin implementing actions in their POAs. Examples of 2019 POA implementation during the quarter include:
1) In the municipality of San Sebastian Huehuetenango, located in the department of Huehuetenango, the COMUSAN successfully advocated for the creation of the Municipal Food Security and Nutrition Office (OMSAN). 2) In San Gaspar Chajul, located in the department of Quiché, the Women’s Commission completed POA actions to increase awareness about violence against women. This included using local communication channels to broadcast a radio spot on violence against women (these radio spots were not financed by the project). 3) In Sibinal and Tacaná, both located in the department of San Marcos, the Women’s commissions developed project proposals to be considered for Departmental Development Councils (CODEDE, similar to the COMUDE but at the departmental level) funding38.
Technical Assistance: Project outreach staff provided TA on the project approval process of the CODEDE. The COMUDEs are responsible for prioritizing projects which are then presented as proposals in the CODEDE for funding considerations. Unfortunately, COMUDE members are often unaware of this process, which mayors—intentionally or unintentionally—end up submitting projects for CODEDE funding that are not prioritized by the COMUDE. To address this, Nexos Locales will focus TA on the project proposal process to the COMUDEs in the 43 project municipalities, Photo 5: TA to the financial offices in San Pablo, in thereby increasing the functionality of the Development San Marcos, to prepare the public financial Council system as a means for augmenting transparency accountability reports. and citizen participation in the development process.
Public Financial Accountability Reports: (referred to as 'rendiciones de cuentas' in Spanish): In Q19, 32 municipalities39 completed public financial accountability reporting to the COMUDE. In Tajumulco, located in the department of San Marcos, public financial accountability reporting was completed this quarter for the first time. This is a direct result of project staff’s advocacy efforts with the mayor and the COMUDE members to highlight the importance of transparency and its role in municipal development.
Accreditation: All 43 municipalities have an established system for accrediting COMUDE members. The project’s support for systematizing accreditation of the COMUDE increases citizen
38 The funding was not allocated but the achievement was getting the women to propose projects.
39 Excluding: Huehuetenango: 1) Jacaltenango; 2) Huehuetenango; 3) San Pedro Necta; Quiche: 4) Cunen; 5) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; San Marcos: 6) San Jose el Rodeo; 7) Nuevo Progreso; 8) San Lorenzo; 9) Concepción Tutuapa; 10) Tacana; and 11) Sibinal. Page 32 of 108
participation and formalizes the COMUDE as an esteemed entity for project prioritization and development in each municipality.
Social Audit Commissions: In Q19, the project is able to report on three occurring or completed social audit commissions40 . They are:
Chiantla, Huehuetenango: In Q19, the Social Audit Commission in Chiantla began its second social audit. Given that the municipality experienced prolonged potable water shortages in the months of January through March, the commission chose to develop a plan to audit a water project. The selected project includes the purchase of a water spring and its accompanying infrastructure to transfer water to the urban center of the municipality. The plan for carrying out the second social audit was completed during the quarter and the commission began collecting information and data. Nexos Locales will promote the use of the #SomosChiantla smartphone transparency app as a tool for the social audit commission to gather information.The social audit report is scheduled to be presented to the COMUDE in Q21.
As a follow-on to the already completed social audit report presented to the COMUDE in November 2018, the Commission developed a plan to ensure that municipal authorities have acted adequately in responding to the social audit findings. In Q20, the commission will confirm that the municipality has filed an official complaint against the project contractor, which was a recommendation in the social audit report.
Concepcion Huista, Huehuetenango: In Q19 no advances were made due to the planned, seasonal migration of seven of the nine commission members to farms in Mexico. The project anticipates the return of these commission members in Q20 and the commission will continue the implementation of the social audit plan.
San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos: This quarter, the social audit commission developed a plan to audit the municipal market service provision. The commission consists of five members who have extensive experience in local advocacy. Rather than collect the information themselves, the commission developed a tool (in the form of a user survey) and has coordinated with 24 youth from a local high school (ages 14-17) to complete data collection41. The user surveys will include both market clients and market space renters. In Q20, the commission will begin to Photo 6: The Social Audit Commission in San Rafael process and analyze the data collected. The project Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos meets to discuss their will also train the social audit commission on ways to social audit plan. use the SANRAFAINFO transparency app to further the information collection process for the social audit.
40 The project previously trained CSOs in Santa Lucia where the particpants demonstrated interest in forming a Social Audit commission. The participants expressed that waiting until the completion of the elections would be best. Nexos Locales plans to meet with CSOs in Santa Lucia in Q21.
41 The president of the Social Audit Commission provided an introduction to the youth on how to collect the information. The youth did not participate in designing the survey.
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Recognition for COMUDE: On February 13, 2019, the municipality of Concepcion Huista, in the department of Huehuetenango, received recognition for exceptional management of the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE, a form of city council) from the Departmental Development Council. Nexos Locales provided technical assistance to the municipal secretary with uploading the required documentation to the COMUDE/SCEP (Secretaria de Coordinacion Ejecutiva de Presidencia) online platform with COMUDE agendas, annual programming, invitations, commission member lists, and the personal documents of accredited COMUDE members. Concepcion Huista received first place for the department of Huehuetenango and the entire northwest region. Concepcion Huista’s dedication to proper documentation and management of the COMUDE will contribute positively to their municipal ranking position as measured by the Planning and Programming Presidential Secretariat (SEGEPLAN).
Activity 1.4—Build the capacity of the mancomunidades to develop and implement regional strategies.
Sub-Activity Y5 1.4.1. Solid Waste Treatment Planning: Last quarter, Nexos Locales presented six hard copies of the solid waste management feasibility studies to the head authorities of the Mancomunidad of Metropoli de los Altos and the Asociacion de Desarrollo Integral de Municipalidades del Altiplano Marquense (ADIMAM). In Q19, representatives from the Mancomunidad of Metropoli de los Altos met with the Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to formally present the outcomes of an investigative trip to Germany in December 2018 (with no financial support from Nexos Locales). The objective of this foreign trip was to pursue funding and knowledge transfer opportunities for implementing the solid waste management proposals included in the studies. The Mancomunidad of Metropli de los Altos has begun negotiating the purchase of land for the construction of the solid waste treatment plant and will inform the project of any ad-hoc support needed after the purchase is complete.
NEXT STEPS During the next quarter Nexos Locales will begin implementation of five key follow-on activities to support increased use of the three smartphone transparency applications. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.4.) In Q20, the Social Audit Commission in Chiantla will present its second social audit report to the COMUDE. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.3.1.) In the next quarter, 10 municipalities will develop a water user debt map. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.1.1.) In Q20, PFM technicians will continue to strengthen the COPEPs through individualized technical assistance. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.1.) The project will donate six smartphones and mobile printers for the implementation of the water meter reading smartphone app. (Sub-Activity Y5 1.2.1.)
RESULT 2: STRENGTHENED CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES
Background: Nexos Locales works with civil society organizations (CSOs), community organizations (including, but not limited to, Community Development Councils –COCODEs-), and citizens to strengthen their capability to engage actively and independently in municipal social Page 34 of 108
accountability and citizen participation mechanisms. The project includes a specific focus on facilitating the effective participation of vulnerable and underrepresented groups (women, youth, those living in extreme poverty, and people with disabilities), who face unique obstacles limiting their involvement in participatory processes. Nexos Locales stresses civil society participation in the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE), but also promotes other innovative social accountability mechanisms (including the Public Access to Information Law), and leveraging technology, where possible, to strengthen citizen confidence in public financial accountability. In Year 4, the project refined the DEMIN tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Municipal Youth Offices (OMJs).
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 19th QUARTER
Nexos Locales distributed copies of the project-developed Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the COCODE Basic Functions Manual in all 15 new municipalities42 to orient COMUDE members. (Activity 2.2.) Through three sub-grants, 169 civil society organizations (CSOs) developed 4243 advocacy campaign plans. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.1.) In San Marcos, San Marcos, a working group comprised of civil society, private sector representatives, local authorities and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company, soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.4.1.) Six women’s networks44 were accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE (a form of city council) this quarter. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.2.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS
Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter for Result 2.
Activity 2.1— Conduct an entry point map.
Entry point maps that inform on key public and private actors were developed in each of the 29 original municipalities under Year 1 and for the 15 new municipalities in Year 4. No additional, discrete activities are planned under this Activity.
Activity 2.2—Train citizens so they can analyze local authority budgets and public spending.
42 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 43 All project municipalities except for 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa. Concepcion Chiquirichapa was excluded due to unfavorable conditions and an amendment was approved to reallocate the funds to creating and implementing a second advocacy campaign in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. 44 Huehuetenango: 1) San Juan Atitán; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 3) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; 6) Comitancillo; and Totonicapán; 6) Totonicapán. Page 35 of 108
This activity is combined with Sub-activity Y5 2.5.1. Provision of the COCODE Basic Functions Manual and Citizen’s Guide to the Budget to the 15 New Municipalities. The project completed the distribution of 375 copies of the Citizen’s Guide to the Budget (25 copies for each of the 15 new municipalities) and 450 copies of the COCODE Basic Functions Manual (30 copies for each of the 15 new municipalities). In some cases, project outreach specialists distributed the guides in the COMUDE general assemblies, followed up by technical assistance to COMUDE members on the use of the guides. In other cases, the guides were distributed to the DMP, in their role as the key organizers of the COMUDE, for later distribution in a COMUDE general assembly.
In the municipality of Huehuetenango, in the department of Huehuetenango, COMUDE meetings are not often scheduled and are announced at the last minute. Presumably, this is an adopted means by the municipal government to limit citizen participation in decision-making process for local development. Nexos Locales has adapted its approach to work in this contextually challenging municipality (see Obstacles Faced section). The project outreach specialist attended one of these last minute COMUDE meetings in Q19 and was able to Photo 7: COCODE members in Huehuetenango, present the Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and Huehuetenango, receive the COCODE Basic Functions Manual the COCODE Basic Functions Manual. The and the Citizen's Guide to the Budget. COMUDE members expressed a high level of interest in learning more about the municipal budget and their role as COCODEs. Due to the difficult context for the COMUDE, citizens are looking to leverage their role in the COMUDE to advocate for increased transparency, despite the politically challenging environment. Although this activity is formally completed, the project will continue to provide technical assistance on municipal budgets and COCODE functions in municipalities where COMUDE members express an interest in furthering their understanding.
Activity 2.3—Build the capacity of CSOs to engage municipalities through COMUDEs.
Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.1. CSO Advocacy Support: In Q19, the three sub-grants (to the Civil Association of Western Cooperation Studies [ECO] and the Association of Organizations in the Cuchumatánes [ASOCUCH]) provided technical assistance to a total of 169 civil society organizations (CSOs) to expand their understanding of the WOLA methodology for advocacy. The WOLA methodology includes seven key steps: 1) Identification and analysis of a problem; 2) Proposal formulation; 3) Analysis of the decision-making spaces; 4) Analysis of the channels Photo 8: ECO technician in Zacualpa, Quiché, of influence; 5) Analysis of the strengths, opportunities, provides TA on FODA. weaknesses and threats (FODA or SWOT); 6) Formulation of influence strategies; and 7) Advocacy plan development. All three grantees completed a technical assistance session on each of the seven steps.
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The final product of Q19 was 4245 advocacy campaign plans (one per municipality) developed by the CSOs46. These campaign plans are compliant with USAID standards and security protocol during an election year47. Preliminary implementation of the CSO-developed advocacy campaigns commenced in March 2019. The bulk of the campaigns will continue to run through Q20.
As part of Nexos Locales’ electoral strategy, CSOs were encouraged to focus their efforts on developing advocacy campaigns that applied pressure on mayoral candidates to publically declare their commitments to citizen participation and transparency in the governance process; not all municipalities accomplished this. Some CSOs identified alternative priority areas as part of organic group discussions. The importance of these discussions was to create a cohesive plan amongst the CSOs to strengthen their capacity and confidence in delivering advocacy campaigns that fell within the current contract scope of work.
Below are brief descriptions of each advocacy campaign:
Table 2: Advocacy Campaigns in San Marcos, Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán
San Marcos, Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán Grantee: Asociación Estudios de Cooperación de Occidente (ECO) Number Municipality Title of the Campaign of CSOs 1. Concepción 3 Advocacy Plan to Reduce Environmental Pollution caused by Garbage Tutuapa 4 Advocacy Plan for the Municipal Government of San Marcos to improve 2. San Marcos the resiliency to Earthquakes Advocacy Plan to Increase Municipal Investment in Women’s Development 3. Nuevo Progreso 3 Projects 4. San Lorenzo 4 Advocacy Plan to Create a Public Policy on Food Security Advocacy Plan for the Municipality Actions to Reduce Environmental 5. San José El Rodeo 5 Pollution Caused by Garbage 6. San Rafael Pie de la 5 Advocacy Plan to Reduce the Excessive Use of Plastic Bags Cuesta Advocacy Plan for the Municipal Government (Present and Future) to 7. Totonicapán 5 Meet the Needs of the Population and Avoid Voter Manipulation 8. Comitancillo 4 Advocacy Plan to Create a Public Policy on Food Security Advocacy Plan to Minimize Environmental Pollution caused by Inadequate 9. Sibinal 4 Waste Management 10. San Juan Advocacy Plan to Minimize Environmental Pollution caused by Inadequate 5 Ostuncalco Waste Management
45 All project municipalities except for 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa. Concepcion Chiquirichapa was excluded due to unfavorable conditions and an amendment was approved to reallocate the funds to creating and implementing a second advocacy campaign in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. 46 The project anticipates all plans to be implemented by the end of Q21. Nexos will continue to report on implementation advances in Q20. 47 On February 22, 2019, Nexos Locales received USAID approval for an exception to contract marking that would permit the project to remove all USAID branding from the advocacy campaigns. The purpose of this exception was to ensure the neutrality of the advocacy campaigns during an election year. Page 37 of 108
San Marcos, Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán Grantee: Asociación Estudios de Cooperación de Occidente (ECO) Number Municipality Title of the Campaign of CSOs Advocacy Plan to Minimize the Excessive Use of Plastic Bags and 11. San Pablo 4 Disposable Containers Advocacy Plan to Minimize Environmental Pollution cause by Inadequate 12. Tacaná 4 Waste Management Advocacy Plan for the Municipal Government to Implement Actions to 13. Tajumulco 5 Diminish the Excessive Use of Plastic Material Advocacy Plan to Promote Environmental Protection Actions via the 14. San Miguel 6 Reactivation of the Treatment Plant, and Regulations on the Management Ixtahuacán of Solid Waste
Table 3: Advocacy Campaigns in Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango Grantee: Asociación de Organizaciones de los Cuchumatanes (ASOCUCH)
Number Municipality Title of the Campaign of CSOs Advocacy Plan to Increase the Budget Assigned to the Municipal 1. Huehuetenango 4 Women´s Directorate (DMM) to Benefit Female Entrepreneurs 2. San Ildefonso 3 Advocacy Plan to Prohibit Plastic Bags and Disposable Containers Ixtahuacán Advocacy Plan to Prohibit Plastic Bags, Disposable Containers, and Plastic 4 3. Jacaltenango Straws Advocacy Plan for the Creation and Integration of a Social Audit 4. San Antonio Huista 4 Commission in the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE) Advocacy Plan for the Allocation of Budget for the Municipal Youth 5. San Pedro Necta 4 Office (OMJ) 6. San Sebastián Advocacy for the Prohibition of Plastics and Disposable Containers in the 4 Huehuetenango Municipality of San Sebastián Huehuetenango via a Municipal Agreement. Advocacy Plan to Create a Proposal to Improve the Solid Waste 7. San Miguel Acatán 3 Collection Service Advocacy Plant to Prohibit Plastic Bags, Straws, and other Disposable 8. Chiantla 6 Containers Advocacy Plan for Municipal Investment in Productive Projects that 9. Barillas 4 Foster Economic Development 10. Concepción 5 Advocacy Plan to Improve the Solid Waste Disposal Service Huista 11. Cuilco 4 Advocacy Plan to Establish the Municipal Youth Office (OMJ) Advocacy Plan for the Regulation of Plastic and Disposable Material via a 12. La Democracia 4 Municipal Agreement 13. La Libertad 3 Advocacy Plan to Increase the Municipal Women´s Directorate (DMM) Page 38 of 108
Huehuetenango Grantee: Asociación de Organizaciones de los Cuchumatanes (ASOCUCH)
Number Municipality Title of the Campaign of CSOs Budget for Project Implementation 14. Malacatancito 2 Advocacy Plan to Reactivate the Municipal Youth Office (OMJ) 15. San Sebastián 5 Advocacy Plan for Adequate Solid Waste Management Coatán 16. Todos Santos Advocacy Plan to Increase Municipal Investment for Youth through the 4 Cuchumatán Office of Children, Adolescents, and Youth 17. San Juan Atitán 3 Advocacy Plan to Improve of Urban Traffic Management
Table 4: Advocacy Campaigns in Quiche.
Quiché Grantee: Asociación Estudios de Cooperación de Occidente (ECO)
Number Municipality Title of the Campaign of CSOs
1. San Gaspar Chajul 6 Advocacy Plan to Increase the Municipal Forestry Office Budget Advocacy Plan to Increase the Municipal Investment for Productive 2. Chichicastenango 5 Projects and Alternative Markets for Agriculturalists, Artisans, and the Tourism Sector Advocacy Plan to Increase and Strengthen the Municipal Forestry Office 3. San Juan Cotzal 4 Budget Advocacy Plan to Increase the Municipal Office of Water and Sanitation 4. Santa María Cunén 5 (OMAS) Budget to Reduce Clandestine Garbage Dumps Advocacy Plan to Form the Commission for Attention to Victims of the 5. Santa María Nebaj 5 Armed Conflict in the Municipal Development Committee (COMUDE) Advocacy Plan to Increase Coverage of the Municipal Waste Management 6. Sacapulas 2 Service and to Diminish Environmental Pollution caused by Garbage 7. San Andrés 4 Advocacy Plan to Improve Urban Traffic Management Sajcabajá 8. San Bartolomé 2 Advocacy Plan to Allocating Resources to Reduce Forest Fires Jocotenango Advocacy Plan to Form and Strengthen the Citizen Participation 9. Santa Cruz del 4 Commission in order to Improve its Proposal Capacity and Decision Quiché Making in the Municipal Development Committee (COMUDE) 10. San Miguel Advocacy Plan to Increase Investment to Improve the Urban Water 5 Uspantán System Advocacy Plan to Increase Municipal Investment to Reduce Child 11. Zacualpa 3 Malnutrition
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Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.2. Establishment and Strengthening of Municipal Women’s Commissions and Networks: This quarter, outreach specialists assumed responsibility for implementation of this sub- activity in all 43 municipalities, given the completion of two sub-grants in Q18. In the 29 original municipalities, the institutional strength of the women’s networks varies greatly. The differences range from networks having an active board of directors, updated POA and strong working relationship with the DMM to others being virtually non-functional. Despite this, project outreach specialists are providing individualized TA to support the various levels and needs of each women’s networks to strengthen their functionality. In Q19, emphasis was placed on the reaccreditation of the networks as voting members of the COMUDE. Networks with higher capacities expanded their understanding on the project prioritization process through individualized TA. In the 15 new municipalities48, six women’s networks49 were accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE (a form of city council).
Photo 9: The Women's Network in Chajul, Quiche, meets to discuss their Function Manual.
48 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 49 Huehuetenango: 1) San Juan Atitán; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 3) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; 6) Comitancillo; and Totonicapán; 6) Totonicapán. Page 40 of 108
Activity 2.4—Support CSOs to implement social accountability mechanisms
Sub-Activity Y5 2.4.1. TA for Social Accountability Tools (Citizen Charter): Advances under the Charter include:
1) San Marcos, San Marcos: On January 29, 2019 in San Marcos, a working group comprised of civil society, private sector representatives, local authorities and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company, soft launched50 a Citizen Charter on water service provision, in a private setting. The soft launch was financed by the municipality of San Marcos. Nexos Locales supported the working group as they developed the Charter, a tool to record written agreements between citizens and the municipality on quality standards and the joint responsibilities of each party in municipal service provision. The working group received 3,800 printed copies of the Charter (financed by Nexos Locales) for distribution to service users to publicize the agreements of the Charter. Developing the Charter proved to be an enriching experience in connecting end service users and service providers in pursuing agreements that will improve service provision over time. The project used its integrated team of public finance management, water, outreach and citizen participation technicians to support the development of the Charter with the working group.
Photo 10: Members of the San Marcos, San Marcos, Citizen Charter working group pose in front of the Mayan Palace after the soft launch of the Charter.
The soft launch marked the conclusion of the Charter development process in San Marcos. This process was Nexos Locales’ first in a departmental capital and was distinct due to the level of technical expertise present in the working group. The scale of the Charter was also bigger due to the context, with over 8,000 registered water service users. The project adjusted its approach to Charter development to better meet the specific context of San Marcos.
With the completion of the Charter, the working group continued to meet to initiate steps to implement the Charter in a limited capacity to avoid the polarization of the Charter as a political tool during the electoral period. In Q19, the working group
50 A soft launch is a small-scale event that is not open to the general public, nor the press. Page 41 of 108
advanced in updating the municipal water regulation and water fees. The new fees, which have distinct price scales for residences and businesses, will be presented to the Municipal Council for their comments in Q21, following the elections. Once the working group has the approval of the regulation and the updated fees, the printed charters will be distributed according to a previously developed dissemination plan.
2) La Libertad, Huehuetenango: In Q19, the Municipal Council verbally approved the updated municipal waste collection regulation51. This document formalizes the municipality’s responsibilities in complying with the solid waste collection service provision. Even before launching the Charter, the project detected results connected to the Charter development process. From January to March 2018, solid waste collection users paid a total of Q4,410 (USD595) in user fees. During the same period in 2019, the municipality collected a total of Q11,940 (USD1,613), representing a 271% increase. This is due to the municipality’s new awareness of user delinquency and their proactive approach in now sending billing reminders. In the next quarter, the working group will outline the standards to be listed in the Charter and the project anticipates its launch by the end of Q21.
3) Barillas, Huehuetenango: This quarter, in coordination with R3 technicians, the project completed an in-depth analysis of the urban water system. This involved physically going to each crucial point in the system to take a global positioning system (GPS) reference and then compiling the data to create a detailed map. The analysis of the water system informs the local authorities of the existing infrastructure that often results in the inequitable distribution of water in the urban center of the municipality. The mayor viewed this inequitable distribution as a key opportunity for improvement before advancing with the citizen charter on water service provision. Additionally, this quarter the working group completed the final draft of the water service provision regulation. However, given rising political tensions in the divided Municipal Council, which is caused by the electoral period, the project does not anticipate the approval of this document in Q20, preferring to pause the process and recommence activities following the elections.
Figure 2: Map of Barillas, Huehuetenango, Urban Water System
51 The project anticipates the approval of a municipal agreement following the elections.
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Community Scorecards – No community scorecards were scheduled to be completed this quarter. The project plans to complete a community scorecard in San Marcos during the next quarter.
Activity 2.5—Provide technical assistance to the COCODEs through grants to CSOs.
Sub-activity Y5 2.5.1. Provision of the COCODE Basic Functions Manual and Citizen’s Guide to the Budget to the 15 New Municipalities: See Y5 Activity 2.2
Activity 2.6. Implement a strategy to strengthen youth participation in municipal decision-making.
Although Youth is a cross-cutting theme rather than an individual program result, Nexos Locales is implementing specific activities to implement its USAID-approved Youth Strategy, developed by the Iris Group, Inc. The project develops youth leadership to address the most urgent needs of youth (target group ages 15-29 years) in the Western Highlands through the following three objectives:
Objective 1: To increase the participation of youth (ages 15-29 years) in municipal level decision making within the 44 project municipalities Objective 2: To increase social and economic development projects led by and benefitting youth within the 44 target municipalities Objective 3: To create a cohesive youth network in the Western Highlands that is able to influence national level political and economic policies affecting youth
Sub-activity Y5 2.6.1- Strengthening and establishing municipal youth offices: In Q19, project outreach specialists provided ongoing TA to existing 23 Municipal Youth Offices (OMJs). Meetings were also held to advocate for the establishment of new OMJs52, however, given the start of the electoral period, the project will continue advocacy in Q21 following the elections. Technical assistance provided this quarter sought to improve the existing OMJs’ performance against the DEMIN. Levels of knowledge and corresponding technical assistance is thematically grouped as follows: Photo 11: The youth network in San Jose el Rodeo, San Marcos meets to develop their 1) Database of Project Proposals: Four53 OMJs Function Manual. received TA to begin developing a database of project proposals, each with project profiles to facilitate the inclusion of youth-centered projects that will be readily available should an opportunity arise where an OMJ can submit a proposal for funding. This TA will continue in Q20.
52 24 of 29 municipalities from the original coverage have OMJs 13 of 15 municipalities from the new coverage have OMJs Therefore seven municipalities of 43 do not have OMJs The project anticipates process in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta in Q20 for establishing an OMJ.
53 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; Quiche: 2) Chichicastenango; San Marcos: 3) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and Quetzaltenango: 4) Concepción Chiquirichapa. Page 43 of 108
2) Development of Strategic Plans: Two OMJs54, established in Q18, received TA to develop their strategic plans this quarter.
3) Updating Strategic Plans and Functions Manuals: In the remaining 17 OMJs55, these offices made adjustments to their plans and began to lay the groundwork for receiving the Municipal Council’s approval of these documents.
Sub-activity Y5 2.6.2- Strengthening and establishing youth commissions: In Q19, project outreach staff continued to provide technical assistance to 19 youth networks56. Of the 15 new municipalities, two preexisting networks are currently being reactivated, including in: 1) Malacatancito, Huehuetenango; and 2) Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché. Six municipalities57 are in the process of establishing a youth network for the first time.
By building the capacity and strength of youth networks in six municipalities58, and then funneling that growth into the implementation of the youth advocacy efforts via municipal mayoral candidate forums on youth-related issues (Sub-Activity Y5 2.6.3.), the project is pairing activities to complement its investment in youth. In Q20, project staff will continue to provide TA to strengthen and establish youth networks.
Sub-activity Y5 2.6.3. Support to Youth Advocacy Efforts Pre- and Post- Elections: In Q19, project outreach specialists began technical assistance to implement 1059 municipal mayoral candidate forums on youth- related issues.
Phase one of implementation included defining strategic allies in the municipality and proposing a plan to existing youth networks in each of the ten Photo 12: The youth planning group for the forum in municipalities. The project outreach specialists San Marcos, San Marcos meets. worked alongside youth to determine what topics were of most interest to them in addressing at the forums. Examples of prioritized topics include: 1) Dignified employment opportunities; 2) Support for municipal youth offices; 3) Education; 4) Sexual health; and the 5) Environment. Two interesting observations were made by project staff as they completed TA with the youth in determining the most relevant topics for young people.
54 Huehuetenango: 1) Jacaltenango; 2) San Antonio Huista. 55 Huehuetenango: 1) La Democracia; 2) Concepción Huista; 3) Barillas; Quiche: 4) Sacapulas; 5) Uspantán; 6) Santa María Nebaj; 7) Cunen; 8) San Juan Cotzal; 9) San Gaspar Chajul; 10) Zacualpa; Quetzaltenango: 11) San Juan Ostuncalco; San Marcos: 12) San Lorenzo; 13) Nuevo Progreso; 14) San Pablo; 15) Sibinal; 16) Tajumulco; 17) San José el Rodeo. 56 San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; 2) San Pablo; 3) Nuevo Progreso; 4) San José el Rodeo; 5) Tajumulco; 6) Sibinal; 7) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; Huehuetenango: 8) Chiantla; 9) Concepción Huista; 10) San Antonio Huista; 11) Jacaltenango; 12) Barillas; Quiche: 13) Chichicastenango; 14) Nebaj; 15) Sacapulas; 16) Uspantán; 17) Chajul; 18) Cotzal; 19) Cunen. 57 Quiche: 1) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; Huehuetenango: 3) San Sebastián Coatan; 4) San Miguel Acatan; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; and 6) Tacana. 58 Huehuetenango: 1) Barillas; 2) La Libertad; 3) Chiantla; Quiche: 4) Nebaj; 5) Chichicastenango; and 6) Chajul. 59 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) La Libertad; 3) Barillas; Quiche: 4) Nebaj; 5) Chichicastenango; 6) San Gaspar Chajul; 7) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 8) San Marcos; 9) Tacana; and 10) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. Page 44 of 108
First, youth participants in six municipalities60 made a direct connection between a lack of employment opportunities and migration. Second, by highlighting this connection and its relevance in the context of municipal mayoral candidate forums, young people recognize the role of local government in creating increased economic opportunities as a means to reduce migration.
Lastly, additional TA provided an overview of the Guatemalan electoral process and the importance of youth participation. In Q20, each planning committee in the 10 municipalities will develop a logistics plan and budget for delivering the public forums.
NEXT STEPS During the next quarter Nexos Locales’ principal activities for this Result will include:
CSOs across project coverage will advance the implementation of Advocacy Campaigns. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.1.) In ten municipalities, youth networks will complete municipal mayoral candidate forums on youth-related issues. (Sub-Activity Y5 2.6.3.) RESULT 3: INCREASED QUALITY OF POTABLE WATER IN 44 MUNICIPALITIES
Background: The health, economic, and social consequences of water deficits in both quantity and quality for all users and for the environment are enormous. As a result, U.S. foreign assistance prioritizes assisting communities in tangible and substantive ways related to water. Nexos Locales, in line with Feed the Future and global health initiatives, supports municipalities to increase the quality of potable water in 44 prioritized municipalities. Through these actions, Nexos Locales is contributing to the improvement of nutrition and health indicators in the Western Highlands. Additionally, the close relationship between water resource management and good governance practices provides a space for Nexos Locales to strengthen the capacity of water authorities and related institutions not only in delivering potable water, but doing so in a transparent fashion.
Nexos Locales’ approach to achieving this result focuses on increasing access to safe water, particularly for the most disadvantaged populations, by strengthening service providers’ capacity. Activities under this result are helping municipalities to assess risks, devise plans, and take actions that improve service coverage and reduce hydrological risks. By improving municipal provision of water services, citizens’ confidence in their municipal authorities will increase, as will citizens’ socioeconomic well-being. In Year 4, the project refined the DEMIN tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS).
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 19th QUARTER
Four61 Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS) were established and two62 were institutionalized. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.1.)
60 Quiche: 1) Nebaj; 2) Chajul; 3) Santa Cruz del Quiche; Huehuetenango: 4) La Libertad; San Marcos: 5) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; and 6) Tacana. 61 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 3) San Pedro Necta; and 4) San Sebastián Coatan. 62 San Marcos: 1) Concepción Tutuapa; and 2) Comitancillo. Page 45 of 108
Six municipalities63 invested in improving the infrastructure of their urban water systems64. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2.) With project support, four municipalities65 took action to improve water quality. Three municipalities66 installed water chlorination systems and the municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, installed a laboratory to process water samples for ongoing water quality monitoring. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS
Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter under Result 3.
Activity 3.1—Map water sector stakeholders.
This activity was completed in Year 1 for the original 29 municipalities and in Year 4 for the 15 new municipalities.
Activity 3.2—Provide technical assistance to municipalities to improve water service delivery.
Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.1 Establishment and Strengthening of OMAs: This quarter, technical assistance to the Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS) emphasized three areas to improve OMAS’ performance against the DEMIN:
Governance: In Q19, the project supported the establishment of four67 new OMAS. These offices are essential for assigning municipal responsibility of water service provision and for developing capacities of key personnel. With the establishment of these four OMAS, Nexos Locales can begin developing and strengthening these municipal offices against their established criteria in the respective DEMIN.
Institutional Strengthening: In Concepcion Tutuapa and Comitancillo (both located in the department of San Marcos), Nexos Locales assisted with completing the legal documents to register the already existing OMAS-equivalent offices. While these two entities were already functioning, they lacked the legal foundation and justification for their existence. Proper recordkeeping and filing is essential. If a local government office is found noncompliant, it can face sanctions and even lead to closure. By supporting municipalities to develop and properly file essential documents, the project is helping ensure the sustainability of these offices.
Planning: The municipality of Tacaná, located in the department of San Marcos, produced two key plans to guide OMAS actions. The first is a plan to monitor water quality, which establishes a protocol for water monitoring, assigns a responsible staff person in the municipality for monitoring, and outlines a testing schedule for water quality monitoring. The second is a plan to
63 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Juan Cotzal; and 6) San Gaspar Chajul. 64 Of the six, four reported a total investment of Q2,018,217.40 (USD 265,554.92) 65 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiché: 3) Sacapulas; and 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche. 66 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; and Quiché: 3) Sacapulas. 67 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 3) San Pedro Necta; and 4) San Sebastián Coatan. Page 46 of 108
systematize the OMAS approach on public messaging about water conservation and protection, which seeks to increase the visibility of water-related issues in the municipality. The project will provide ongoing support in Q20 as the OMAS in Tacaná implements these plans.
Ad-Hoc Assistance: With project support, the municipality of San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiché, installed two water chlorination systems that will improve the quality of water for 4,800 beneficiaries. In San Bartolomé Jocotenango, all water service provision is managed by 30 different water committees independent from the OMAS, which already existed prior to Nexos Locales’ interventions. This separation of water committees from the management of the OMAS has prevented the project from developing a strategic water investment plan in this municipality. However, during the quarter the OMAS requested Nexos Locales’ support in designing and installing water chlorination systems after the urban water committees expressed an interest68. This activity demonstrates the project’s dedication to providing technical assistance in varied municipal contexts using the DEMIN tool to meet the specific needs of each municipality, working to find areas of opportunity to improve water quality within those contexts. This case connects the importance of institutional strengthening of the OMAS with water quality and providing safe water to citizens.
Water Quality Monitoring: A team of consultants completed water quality testing in 40 municipalities69. The results of those tests show the following: Project inputs more than quadrupled over baseline, the number of municipalities (from 7 to 3070 municipalities) providing safe water to citizens, thus representing 75% of those municipalities tested as providing safe water. Eleven71 of 12 of the new municipalities under project coverage are providing safe water to citizens, a 300% increase from the baseline (in March 2018, only three municipalities were providing safe water) after one year of project inputs.
Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2. Implementation of Strategic Investment Plans: In Q19, Nexos Locales supported municipalities as they implemented their strategic water investment plans (developed in Years 2 through 4 of the project). This quarter, water technicians presented the Water Sustainability Plans (developed in Q17) in 13 of the new Photo 13: The Urban Water Sustainability Plan presentation in municipalities72 under project coverage San Andres Sajcabajá, Quiche. (excluding San Juan Atitán and San Bartolome
68 Four water committees have expressed interest in installing water chlorination systems. The water fees have not been raised (Q5) because the cost of the chlorination is absorbed by the municipality (chlorine tablets and the artisanal water chlorinators). 69 Excluding: 1) San Bartolomé Jocotenango, Quiche; 2) Santa Lucia la Reforma, Totonicapán; 3) San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango; and 4) Malacatancito, Huehuetenango. *See Y5 Work Plan for more detail, page 31 70 The baseline of seven is a compilation of the 2015 baseline of the original 30 municipalities (4) and the 2018 baseline of the new 15 municipalities (3). 71 Totonicapán, Totonicapán was the only new Municipality that did not test with safe water. 72 Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Pedro Necta; 5) Malacatancito; 6) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 7) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 8) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 9) San Marcos; 10) Comitancillo; 11) Concepción Tutuapa; 12) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 13) Totonicapán. Page 47 of 108
Jocotenango, due to unfavorable conditions previously reported in Y4). Attendees at the presentations included the mayor, the Municipal Council, the OMAS coordinator (when relevant), and other key decision makers depending on each unique municipal context. The presentations outlined the 1) institutional management of water provision; 2) the infrastructure of the water system and 3) water service provision. In general, local authorities found the list of conclusions and recommendations on how to interpret and implement the plan, most useful.
Progress was made in the following areas of the 40 Strategic Investment Plans73:
Water Quality Improvements: This quarter, three municipalities74 installed water chlorination systems benefiting a total of 15,894 citizens. The municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, installed a laboratory to conduct water sample testing as a means of water quality monitoring (monitoring to begin in Q20). In Concepcion Tutuapa, located in the department of San Marcos, 40 rural fontaneros received technical assistance on how to properly chlorinate water tanks. These actions demonstrate the municipality’s interest in improving the quality of water for water service users. Photo 14: Water quality testing in San Lorenzo, Governance: The project placed a strong emphasis this San Marcos. quarter in updating municipal water regulations in eight municipalities75. Water service provision regulations are the legal foundation outlining the responsibilities of the municipality in providing safe water to citizens. The updating of these documents is essential for the municipality to continue its commitments to improving service provision. In Jacaltenango, Huehuetenango, the Municipal Council approved its updated regulation. In Q20, water technicians will continue to push for the approval of the remaining drafted regulations. The challenge in the next quarter will be maintaining a commitment by each of the administrative councils in prioritizing the regulations’ review and passage during the height of the political campaign season.
Infrastructure: In Q19, six municipalities76 invested in improving the infrastructure of their water systems. San Sebastian Coatan, in the department of Huehuetenango, built a new water distribution tank and San Juan Cotzal, in Quiché, is over 70% done with the construction of a new tank. Three municipalities77 completed maintenance of Photo 15: Barrier to collect trash in the Black River in Sacapulas, Quiche. their urban water distribution tanks. In San Gaspar Chajul,
73 Excluding: 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma, Totonicapán; 2) San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango; 3) Malacatancito; San Marcos; and 4) San Bartolomé Jocotenango (as referenced in the approved Y5 work plan). 74 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; and Quiché: 3) Sacapulas. 75 Huehuetenango: 1) Jacaltenango; 2) La Libertad; 3) La Democracia; 4) San Sebastián Coatan; Quiche: 5) Uspantán; Quetzaltenango: 6) Concepción Chiquirichapa; San Marcos: 7) San Lorenzo; and 8) San Miguel Ixtahuacán. 76 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Juan Cotzal; and 6) San Gaspar Chajul. 77 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; and Quiché: 3) Zacualpa. Page 48 of 108
Quiché, the municipality expanded the water system network to provide improved water service provision to a greater number of citizens78.
Environmental Management: Nexos Locales supported the OMAS in Sacapulas, Quiché to protect the Rio Negro (Black River). In the Strategic Water Investment Plan, Nexos Locales highlighted key actions to maximize the impact of the local government’s investment in water- related infrastructure and institutional strengthening. One of these key areas is the protection of existing water sources in Sacapulas, where water scarcity is an overarching development concern. In coordination with the OMAS, the COFETARN, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Corredor Seco del Quiché (MANCOSEQ), and students from the middle and high school of Sacapulas, constructed a 41-meter biobarda, a low-cost barrier made of recycled plastic bottles to filter out trash from the flowing Black River.
Planning: Three municipalities79 completed in-depth studies and evaluations of various aspects of their water systems as a means of informing future investments needed in these systems. Given the aforementioned water scarcity problems in Chiantla, Huehuetenango (See Sub-Activity Y5 1.3.1.) the OMAS completed an evaluation of the total quantity of water managed by the municipality to determine if it met current demand80. In Barillas, Huehuetenango, project water technicians worked with the OMAS to complete an in-depth analysis of the urban water system through a detailed map (as mentioned in Sub-Activity Y5 2.4.1.)81. Lastly, Tajumulco, in the department of San Marcos, completed a feasibility study on the possible reconstruction of its urban water system82.
In Q20, the project will continue to provide support as municipalities implement their Strategic Investment Plans.
Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.3. Further Disseminate Water Messages: In Q19, the project continued TA to OMAS and municipal communications staff as they implemented their radio spot publicity plans. The municipality of Chichicastenango, Quiché, used the municipal mini-van with speakers secured on top, to reproduce the water messages while driving around the urban center of the municipality. In Q20, the project will continue to support municipalities in pursuing creative and low-cost methods to reproduce the water messages.
Activity 3.3—Assist municipalities with the development of watershed management and protection plans and train them on plan implementation.
See sub-activity Y5 5.4.1 for more details.
78 In San Gaspar Chajul, Q38,190.00 (USD 5,025) was invested in this expansion project. This added 42 families (294 beneficiaries) to the water system.
79 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) Barillas; and San Marcos: 3) Tajumulco. 80 Chiantla: Topographic survey of current pipelines and distribution networks; lists of the diameter and type of pipe installed, leak identifiaction, valve box locations, physical-chemical studies in sources of supply and sampling in homes at key points of the system. 81 Barillas: Redesign of the potable water system of the urban and peri-urban areas that includes, topographic survey, the diameter and type of pipeline, hydraulic calculations and physico-chemical studies. 82 Tajumulco: Feasibility study for the redesign of the distribution system including the necessary topographical studies
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NEXT STEPS During the next quarter Nexos Locales’ principal activities for this Result will include:
Ongoing technical assistance to the OMAS to improve their performance against the DEMIN. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.1.) Ongoing technical assistance as municipalities implement their Strategic Water Investment Plans. (Sub-Activity Y5 3.2.2.)
RESULT 4: LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS ESTABLISHED AND IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Background: Result 4 addresses Feed-the-Future (FtF) objectives by building municipal capacity to improve food security and local economic development. The project collaborates closely with the Presidential Secretariat of Women (SEPREM) at the national and departmental level, as well as with the DMMs (formally municipal women’s offices –OMMs-), SESAN (at all levels), and the Ministry of Health to advance municipal policies and programs that address food security. The local economic development councils are primary partners toward economic development. Integration of both areas occurs through collaboration with mayors, their municipal councils, and USAID partners.
In Year 1, Nexos Locales conducted rapid assessments on the OMMs and food security and nutrition (SAN) Situation Rooms and undertook an in-depth assessment of local economic development and food security needs across all project municipalities, resulting in a comprehensive report on local economic development and food security for each of the original 29 municipalities. In Year 2, Local Economic Development (LED) plans were developed for the 29 original municipalities, and a comprehensive series of training and technical assistance was provided to all Municipal Women’s Office (OMM) coordinators. Year 3 saw the implementation of the LED plans in 15 municipalities and the establishment and strengthening of the municipal Commissions for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (COFETARNs) in all 29 original municipalities. Additionally, in Year 3 the project supported the transition of OMMs to Municipal Women Directorates (DMMs) in all 29 municipalities. In Year 4, the project refined the DEMIN tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Municipal Women’s Directorates (DMMs), Commissions for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment, and Natural Resources (COFETARN), and the Municipal Local Economic Development Offices (OMDEL).
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 19TH QUARTER
Thirteen DMMs83 became members of the COMUSAN and COFETARN commissions in the COMUDE. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.1.1.)
83 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) Jacaltenango; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) La Libertad; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Pedro Necta; 8) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 9) San Juan Cotzal; San Marcos: 10) Tacana; 11) Tajumulco; 12) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 13) San Lorenzo. Page 50 of 108
The SAN Situation Room tool and guide, developed with support from Nexos Locales, is being implemented by SESAN in 340 municipalities. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.2.1.) In Q19 the project developed and installed a DMM calendar in 43 municipalities to guide DMM directors to break down larger POA actions into smaller, more detailed steps. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.1.1.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS
Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter for Result 4.
Activity 4.1—Build the capacity of the Municipal Women’s Office to support the design and implementation of municipal plans to address food security and nutrition.
Sub-Activity Y5 4.1.1. Follow-on TA for DMMs: This quarter, technical assistance to the DMMs emphasized three areas to improve DMMs’ performance against the DEMIN:
1) Participation in COMUDE Commissions: Thirteen DMMs84 successfully participated in the COMUSAN and COFETARN commissions. The DMM director is often not connected to the COMUDE commissions due to other responsibilities and priorities. Their participation is a vital asset to connecting the commissions to municipal resources and knowledge. To ensure DMM participation, project outreach specialists meet with the DMM and explain the benefits of these commissions. The DMM directors present a unique perspective on Food Security and Nutrition (SAN) as women and leaders in their municipality.
2) TA on Function Manuals: While all 43 DMMs completed their function manuals in Year 4, project outreach specialists provided ongoing TA to ensure the alignment of DMM actions to the function manual. DMM’s benefit from clear objectives and outlined strategies to structure their actions month-by-month to be a more effective and efficient directorate. This technical assistance serves as a ‘check-in’ to make sure DMM actions are compliant with established functions manual.
3) Implementation of POA 2019: In Q19, 40 DMMs85 began to implement their 2019 POA. In Jacaltenango, Huehuetenango, the DMM began to train women on embroidery of blouses, with in-kind materials being supplied from the municipality. In Q20, the DMM with Nexos Locales support, will pursue a potential commercial contract with an international, online retailer called NOVICA.
84 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) Jacaltenango; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) La Libertad; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Pedro Necta; 8) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 9) San Juan Cotzal; San Marcos: 10) Tacana; 11) Tajumulco; 12) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 13) San Lorenzo. 85 With the exception of: 1) Barillas, Huehuetenango; 2) Zacualpa, Quiche; and 3) San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiche. Page 51 of 108
Photo 16: A women's group in Jacaltenango, Huehuetenango, poses with their handmade embroidered blouses.
4) DMM Calendar- this quarter the Result 4/5 specialist developed a planning tool in Excel for DMMs to align their daily, weekly, and monthly activities with their Annual Operative Plans (POA). This tool was installed in all 43 DMMs under project coverage and serves to guide DMM directors to break down larger POA actions into smaller, more detailed steps to ensure ahicevement of each POA by the end of 2019.
In Q20, TA topics to the DMMs will include development of a database for project proposals and the initial process for developing a POA 2020.
Activity 4.2—Coordinate with municipalities to establish and operate food security situation rooms
Sub-Activity Y5 4.2.1. TA for Establishment and Implementation of the SAN Situation Rooms: In Q19, Nexos Locales participated in a two-day meeting of the SAN Situation Rooms working group. The working group, developed in Year 4, includes representatives from Nexos Locales, SESAN, Biodiversity86, Acción Contra el Hambre (ACH) and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), and in Q19, AGROCLIMA-International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) was integrated. Photo 17: Nexos Locales' outreach specialist The objective of the latest meeting was a final revision of meets with SESAN technician in San Andres the digital tool and guide, both of which were piloted in the Sajcabajá, Quiche, to discuss SAN Situation field. ThesRoome final implementation. adjustments were completed and the guide was published online, at: https://nexoslocales.com/guia-para-la-implementacion-de-la-sala-situacional-municipal-de-san/
For the remainder of Year 5, Nexos Locales will continue to participate in the working group as periodic monitoring and evaluation is expected to occur. Additionally, the project is providing
86 Biodiversity is a project based out of Costa Rica. Page 52 of 108
direct technical assistance to the COMUSANs in 43 municipalities under project coverage. This TA strengthens the commission so that the SESAN’s municipal representative can maximize the impact of the SAN Situation Room tool, resulting in local policies and practices that improve conditions.
The implementation of the SAN Situation Rooms, as designed by SESAN has four phases: 1) The creation of the community-based institutional platform; 2) Data collection; 3) Data analysis; and 4) Evaluation and Monitoring. Below is an overview of the implementation progress of the SAN Sitution Rooms in all 340 municipalities in the country. Nexos Locales provides accompanying TA to project municipalities to ensure completion of the four phases.
Nationally (non-Nexos Locales municipalities): 134 municipalities completed phase 2 (39%) 49 municipalities in phase 2 (14%) 157 municipalities with no advance (46%)
Of the 44 project municipalities: 35 municipalities completed phase 2 (80%) 4 municipalities87 are in phase 2 (9%) 5 municipalities88 with no advance (11%)
Activity 4.3—Help municipalities develop LED plans.
Sub-Activity Y5 4.3.1. Implementation of LED Plans and Policies: This quarter, Nexos Locales technical assistance to the Municipal Local Economic Offices (OMDELs) and the Commissions for Economic Development (COFETARN) emphasized methods to improve performance against the DEMIN. In Q19, all 1589 Local Economic Development/Climate Change Adaptation diagnostics and plans (as a segment of SEGEPLAN’s PDM-POT90 plans) were published on the project website (available at: https://nexoslocales.com/diagnosticos-y-planes-municipales-de-del-y-acc/).
LED Plan Actions completed this quarter include the following:
Tacaná, San Marcos: The COFETARN, in conjunction with the project, implemented a key action from the municipal LED Plan that works to increase agricultural production through capacity
87 San Marcos: 1) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; Quiche: 2) Uspantán; Quetzaltenango: 3) Concepción Chiquirichapa; and 4) San Juan Ostuncalco. 88 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; Totonicapán: 2) Santa Lucia la Reforma; 3) Totonicapán; San Marcos: 4) San Pablo; and 5) Tajumulco. 89 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 90 In Q2 of Y4, SEGEPLAN requested Nexos Locales to integrate its development and implementation of local economic development plans into its current processes of Municipal Land Use Planning, which is called PDM-POT (Proceso de Actualizacion y Alineamiento de Planes Municipales de Desarollo a Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial). As such, in Q3 of Y4, Nexos Locales altered its approach to this Activity, along with Result 5 Activity 5.2 and Sub-activity 5.3.1. by working closely with SEGEPLAN, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Conjunto program, and relevant municipalities to develop local economic development (LED) and climate change adaptation plans integrated into the PDM-POTs. Page 53 of 108
building workshops for 100 farmers who volunteer their time. These 100 farmers will serve as community champions by sharing their new skills to improve agricultural practices.
Photo 18: Farmers from Tacaná, San Marcos, tour tomato farm to learn new strategies to increase yields.
The OMDEL of Tacaná developed a project proposal to provide 190 producers with in-kind materials to build greenhouses for tomatoes and flower production (95 greenhouses are completed). To prepare farmers for this project, Nexos Locales, the COFETARN and the OMDEL invited 14 of the most active agricultural producers on a two-day tour of tomato and flower farms in Chimaltenango. The champions saw first-hand the use of new technologies to increase production and quality of the agricultural products. They also learned how to safely and properly use fertilizers and pesticides. The producers returned to their communities and met with other producers to share the information they learned on this trip. In Q20, capacity-building workshops will continue and the municipality will begin distributing the in-kind materials for the greenhouses.
San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos: In Q19, the OMDEL, COFETARN and Nexos Locales collaborated to implement an action from the municipality’s LED plan to strengthen the coffee value chain. Twelve small-scale coffee farmers learned about business entrepreneurship, parituclarly in how farmers can expand into new markets by improving bean processing to cosumers enjoying a freshly brewed cup of coffee. The R4/5 LED specialist facilitated the workshop and the growers expressed interest in expanding business opportunities to promote beans proudly grown in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. In Q20, the project will continue to provide technical assistance in strengthening the coffee value chain in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta.
In Q19, Nexos Locales and Helvetas began initial discussions regarding a renewed memorandum of understanding (MOU). This MOU will solidify Helvetas’ commitment to collaborating with Page 54 of 108
Nexos Locales in 11 municipalities91 to implement the LED plans, meaning that 11 COFETARNs and DMMs will benefit, as well as six OMDELs92. The project anticipates signing the MOU next quarter and will report on the specific agreements in the MOU at that point.
Sub-Activity Y5 4.3.2. STTA in Public-Private Partnerships: In Q19, the project paused TA for the development of public-private partnerships due to the electoral period.
Activity 4.4—Coordinate with other USAID implementing partners to support access to basic municipal services for small-scale producers and their associations.
See Activity 4.3
NEXT STEPS During the next quarter Nexos Locales’ principal activities for this Result will include:
Provide ongoing TA to OMDELs and COFETARNs as they implement the Local Economic Development Plans. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.3.1.) Continued TA to increase DMMs’ institutional strength and capacity. (Sub-Activity Y5 4.1.1.)
RESULT 5: MUNICIPAL PLANS ESTABLISHED TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS.
Background: Nexos Locales is employing an awareness-capacity-action framework to reduce climate change vulnerability. At the municipal level, Nexos Locales: 1) builds municipalities’ knowledge of climate stressors and of adaptation measures (awareness); 2) improves municipalities’ ability to select and prioritize adaptation measures, mobilize resources—own-source revenues, donor, national, or otherwise—to implement adaptation measures, and manage disaster risk (capacity); and 3) helps municipalities develop and implement adaptation plans—whether standalone or integrated into municipal development plans (action). At the community level, Nexos Locales: 1) improves citizen knowledge of climate stressors (awareness); and 2) increases community groups’ ability to contribute in a collaborative fashion to municipal planning processes on the topic of climate change (capacity). Because there is a direct and significant link between this
91 Huehuetenango: 1) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 2) Chiantla; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Uspantán; 5) Sacapulas; 6) Cunen; San Marcos: 7) Tacana; 8) Concepción Tutuapa; 9) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; Totonicapán: 10) Totonicapán; and Quetzaltenango: 11) Concepción Chiquirichapa. 92 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; Quiche: 2) Uspantán; 3) Sacapulas Totonicapán: 4) Totonicapán; Quetzaltenango: 5) Concepción Chiquirichapa; and San Marcos: 6) Tacana. Page 55 of 108
result and Result 4, Result 5 activities support, either directly or indirectly, the achievement of Result 4.
Given that close inter-dependency between climate change adaptation and economic development, all Result 5 activities will now be implemented under Result 4 contracting mechanisms and supervision. In Year 4, the project refined the DEMIN tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Commissions for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment, and Natural Resources (COFETARN).
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 19th QUARTER
In Q19, seven municipalities93 completed actions from their Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans94, to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change. (Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.1.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS
Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter for Result 5.
Activity 5.1—Improve municipalities’ awareness of climate stressors and of adaptation measures.
No additional efforts under this Activity are planned from Year 5 through the remainder of the LOP.
Activity 5.2—Build the capacity of municipalities to assess vulnerabilities to climate change, prioritize climate change adaptation measures, mobilize resources, and respond to emergencies.
As mentioned under Sub-activity Y5 4.3.1., this activity contributes to the development of PDM- POT plans developed in the new municipalities.
Activity 5.3—Assist municipalities with developing and implementing adaptation plans and joint watershed management plans aimed at reducing vulnerability to hydro-meteorological events.
Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.1. Implementation of Adaptation Plans: This quarter, project-provided technical assistance to the Commissions for Economic Development (COFETARN) emphasized not only methods to improve performance against the DEMIN but also to advance in the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Plans in the 43 project municipalities. In Q19, six municipalities95 completed actions connected to the strategic objective of protecting and conserving forest areas. In San Sebastian Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango and in Sacapulas, Quiché, the project supported the creation of forest rangers through the COFETARN, to monitor
93 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 3) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; Huehuetenango: 4) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 5) San Juan Atitán; and San Marcos: 8) Concepción Tutuapa. 94 The Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans are the same mentioned in Q18, the seven are of the total 43. All municipalities are working to complete actions and the project will report actions as they are completed. 95 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 3) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; Huehuetenango: 4) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; and 5) San Juan Atitán. Page 56 of 108
the forest and when necessary, fight fires96. The municipalities of San Andres Sajcabajá, Quiché; San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiché; and San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango trained over 100 citizens on forest fire prevention. Forest rangers of San Juan Atitán received a two-day workshop led by the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) on forest fighting strategies. Lastly, in Zacualpa, located in the department of Quiché, 14 citizens participated in a workshop on the importance of conserving areas around natural water springs.
Photo 19: The forest rangers of San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango, learn new forest fire fighting techniques.
In the municipality of Concepcion Tutuapa, San Marcos, the COFETARN, with Nexos Locales’ support, completed two actions in the CCA plans addressing drought vulnerability. First, the COFETARN and municipality constructed a municipal greenhouse with the capacity to hold 15,000 plants. Second, in Caserio Salama, also in the municipality of Concepcion Tutuapa, a tree nursery was constructed and the COFETARN built and installed an artisanal water pump and hammer to provide water to the forest seedlings. The goal next quarter is to plant 2000 seedlings, made possible by first having the water pump. These actions address drought through reforestation and help diminish the severity of droughts and their debilitating impacts on the population.
In Q20, the project will continue to provide technical support to the COFETARN to implement actions in the CCA plans in 43 municipalities.
Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.2 Implementation of Watershed Management Plans: In Q19, the inter-municipal watershed management commission in Concepcion Chiquirichapa and San Juan Ostuncalco, met to discuss how to leverage forest conservation incentives from the national government to increase buy-in from the communities to protect the watershed. The commission developed a plan for the implementation of forest incentives for landowners in the watershed. The project committed to contracting a consultant in Q20 to support the application process for each landowner.
96 The COFETARNS in five municipalities promoted the creation and strengthening of fire fighting brigades. The only municipality to fight fires in Q19 was Sacapulas, whose fire fighting brigade fought four fires. In Q20 Uspantan fought a fire (May 16) and in Huehuetenango. Page 57 of 108
Activity 5.4—Build citizen knowledge of climate stressors so they are better able to participate in municipal planning.
This activity was completed under Years 1 through 3.
NEXT STEPS During the next quarter, Nexos Locales’ principal activities for the Result will include:
Continued TA to the COFETARNs in all 43 municipalities as they implement their CCA Plans. (Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.1.) Ongoing support to the inter-municipal watershed management commission in Concepcion Chiquirichapa and San Juan Ostuncalco (both located in the department of Quetzaltenango). (Sub-Activity Y5 5.3.2.)
RESULT 6: CAPACITY INCREASED FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES (ANAM) AND/OR THE GUATEMALAN ASSOCIATION OF INDIGENOUS MAYORS AND AUTHORITIES (AGAAI) TO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AND REPLICATE SUCCESSFUL MODELS NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING MUNICIPAL CRIME PREVENTION PLANS.
Background: Providing technical assistance to ANAM and/or AGAAI is critical to ensuring sustainability of municipal interventions and to build upon earlier USAID investments. A strong municipal association will be well positioned to continue supporting targeted municipalities and replicate successful models beyond the life of the project. The Nexos Locales approach to Result 6 involves 1) implementing interventions that address each association’s unique needs and development status, and 2) building upon the technical and financial assistance that the associations have received to date from a range of international donors, including USAID under the prior Local Governance Project. In Year 4, the project refined the DEMIN tool and is using it to monitor project interventions in the Municipal Human Resources Offices (OMRRHH). Year 5 activities will focus on the sustainability of these two associations and the services provided to their constituents.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 19TH QUARTER
Fifty technical factsheets developed to inform the production of online tutorial videos in municipal management through a grant to ANAM. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.1.) The Career Municipal Service bill was presented to the new members of the Municipal Affairs Commission in the Guatemalan Congress. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4.)
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In Q19, two97 Municipal Human Resource Offices were established. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4.)
ACTIVITIES/WORK PROGRESS
Below are brief descriptions of specific activities implemented during the nineteenth quarter for Result 6.
Activity 6.1—Deliver technical assistance and training to ANAM and AGAAI to improve their service provision and ability to advocate on the topics of crime prevention, food security, health, DRR, and climate change vulnerability reduction.
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.1. Development of Online Training Materials for Municipal Management: Through a grant to ANAM, 50 tutorial topics were chosen, and material developed, for the production of tutorial videos that will be used as a means of online job function training for municipal employees. The production of these videos is scheduled to commence in Q20.
Early in Q19, the project compiled a list of over 100 pre-existing guides to aid and avoid duplicating previous investments in municipal management material. With support from project technical specialists, 50 topics were chosen to address the most immediate and essential needs of municipal administration, taking into account the various levels of knowledge and training that exist in the municipalities. The criteria selection for the 50 municipal management topics was as follows: 1) further the objectives of the Nexos Locales contract; 2) support ANAM’s strategic plan; 3) be relevant and useful for all 340 municipalities; 4) respond to specific municipal performance indicators of SEGEPLAN’s Municipal Ranking; and 5) support the work of various municipal entities. Once approved, technical specialists developed a factsheet for each topic that would be used for the creation of scripts for the video narrative, supported with key information and reputable references for the video creation.
With the 50 factsheets from Nexos Locales, ANAM created a working group comprised of members from ANAM and Nexos Locales to review all video scripts and draft productions. The 50 topics were divided into two rounds. To produce the videos, ANAM contracted a local video production company to enhance the scripts—adding a pedagogic lens to the narrative—and for the creation of animated characters to be used in the videos. The production will be divided by video tutorials98 and video capsules99. The animated characters will resemble the cultural diversity of the country and will be reviewed by the Nexos Locales Cultural Pertinence Committee (or Comite de Pertinencia Cultural) to ensure cultural sensitivity and representation. The first round of 25 videos will be completed in Q20.
97 San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; and 2) San Pablo. 98 Video Tutorial - A tutorial is a method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture, a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task. Video tutorials make learning much easier than printed material or online help pages. A video tutorial will be between 5 and 10 minutes in length. 99 Video Capsules – a capsule is a method of increasing knowledge of a particular subject or task. Page 59 of 108
Table 5: List of Video Topics for Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.1.
ENTITY # TOPIC CONTENT FORMAT What is the municipality? Its ends, elements, 1 Municipality Informational Video government, administration, revenues What is the municipality? Powers and 2 Municipality Informational Video organization Municipal management and principal 3 Municipal Management Informational Video management mechanisms What is the municipal council? Its makeup, 4 Municipal Government Informational Video functions, and organization What is municipal Ranking? Its indicators MUNICIPALITY 5 Ranking Municipal and variables, and the information Informational Video collection process 6 Municipal Public Service The importance of municipal public service Informational Video 7 Municipal Legal Framework The municipal code Informational Video Other laws that govern the municipality: Laws of the Executive Body, 8 Municipal Legal Framework Informational Video Decentralization Laws, Fiscal Laws, Real Estate Law, Urban/Rural Development Law What are mancomunidades, the legal basis, 9 Mancomunidades Informational Video objectives, and functions What is the DAFIM (Municipal The legal basis, makeup, functions and 10 Finance Administration Video Tutorial responsibilities. Directorate)? 11 tools for revenues control and Revenues Control and management of default payments. Use and 11 Management of Default benefit of the tools. The example of best Video Tutorial MUNICIPAL FINANCE Payments practices in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San ADMINISTRATION Marcos DIRECTORATE (DAFIM) What is the tool, why it is useful, how to 12 Productivity Center use it, and the verification of information Video Tutorial provided. 13 Revenues What are they, how to collect them Informational Video IVA PAZ (Tax Investment in What is it, to whom is it directed, and 14 Informational Video Health and Education) where does it come from? What is the DMP (Municipal The legal basis, makeup, functions and 15 Informational Video Planning Directorate) responsibilities. MUNICIPAL PLANNING What is territorial planning, its objectives, DIRECTORATE (DMP) 16 Territorial Planning benefits for the population, and the creation Informational Video of a plan What is the DMM (Municipal The legal basis, makeup, functions and 17 Informational Video Women´s Directorate) responsibilities. MUNICIPAL WOMEN´S National Public Policy for DIRECTORATE (DMM) What is the policy? Its axes and the role of 18 Women´s Participation and Informational Video the municipality and the DMM Development OMJ or OMPNAJ (Municipal What is the OMJ? Its functions and 19 Youth, Adolescents, and Child Informational Video organization MUNICIPAL YOUTH Protection Offices) OFFICE (OMJ) How to Create Youth Plans The participatory process for elaborating a 20 Video Tutorial and Policies public policy and plan for youth MUNICIPAL HUMAN What is the OMRRHH, its legal basis, Municipal Human Resources RESOURCES OFFICE 21 functions, organization, blueprint, resource Informational Video Office (OMRRHH) management MUNICIPAL WATER What is the OMAS? Its objectives, AND SANITATION Municipal Water and Sanitation functions, responsibilities, and obligations. 22 Informational Video DEPARTMENTS (OMAS, Offices (OMAS) How it coordinates internationally and EMAPS, DIMAS, others) externally Page 60 of 108
What is potable water? What are the characteristics that determine water quality 23 (physical, chemical, bacterial). Why is it Informational Video important to treat water for human Water Quality consumption? Principal parameters laid out by the norm 24 COGUANOR 29001 on water quality (E. Video Tutorial Coli and residual chlorine). What makes up recharge zones? The importance of managing recharge zones, Management of Recharge and principal actions for this management 25 Video Tutorial Zones (soil conservation, reforestation, the reduction of pesticides, management of aquifers) 26 Water Treatment Systems Types of systems and their usage. Video Tutorial What is LED and how can it support the LOCAL ECONOMIC municipality: the promotion of DEVELOPMENT OFFICES 27 Local Economic Development entrepreneurialism, productive Informational Video (OMDEL) infrastructure, supply chains, competition, and capacity development. Conceptual framework for climate change, 28 Climate Change Informational Video impact, vulnerability and scenarios. NATURAL RESOURCE What are catchment areas and how to MANAGEMENT OFFICES 29 Catchment Areas Informational Video manage them (UGAM) The ban on the use of plastics in San Pedro 30 Best Practices Video Tutorial la Laguna Preliminary and Final Reports The use of the SECAI platform to create 31 to the Human Rights Office Video Tutorial and deliver reports to the PDH (PDH) PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION UNITS 32 Transparency Portals What they are and how to locate them Informational Video Reporting requirements for the Public 33 Required Reporting Information Office (UAIP), updating and Informational Video publishing on its website MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS What is a Municipal Affairs The legal basis, makeup, functions and 34 Informational Video COURTS Courts? responsibilities. What is the COMUDE? Its objectives, What is the COMUDE? functions, makeup, accreditation, the 35 Formation, Functions, an Video Tutorial organisms of the COMUDE, and Organization commissions. What is accountability? Who is responsible MUNICIPAL 36 Accountability Video Tutorial for providing it? The timeline and format. DEVELOPMENT What is the SISCODE, how to access the COUNCIL (COMUDE) Uploading COMUDE Records system, the importance and procedure for 37 Video Tutorial to the SISCODE uploading reports to the SISCODE. The timeline and modification period. Commissions of the What are the commissions, their makeup, 38 Informational Video COMUDES functions, work plans and manuals COMMUNITY What is the COCODE? What are its Community Development DEVELOPMENT 39 function, makeup, and accreditation Informational Video Councils (COCODES) COUNCILS process? What is a Transparency Commission (AS)? MUNICIPAL Legal framework, objectives, creation of the TRANSPARENCY 40 Exercises in Transparency commission, functions, accreditation, Video Tutorial COMMISSIONS information gathering, monitoring and reporting. What is the Indigenous Advisory Council? INDIGENOUS ADVISORY 41 Indigenous Advisory Council Legal framework, functions, formation, and Informational Video COUNCIL (CAI) accreditation. Page 61 of 108
What is the Municipal Women´s MUNICIPAL WOMEN´S Municipal Women´s 42 Commission? functions, makeup and Informational Video COMMISSIONS Commissions accreditation MUNICIPAL YOUTH What is the Municipal Youth Commission?: 43 Municipal Youth Commissions Informational Video COMMISSIONS functions, makeup and accreditation What is citizen participation? Culture of democracy, the importance of citizen participation in municipal management, rights and obligations, the characteristics of positive citizen participation, factors that 44 Citizen Participation benefit and block citizen participation, Informational Video procedures, transparency and open government. What is open dialogue with the municipal government? Public sessions of the city council and the importance of transparency in project development. The Importance of Women´s The benefits of women´s participation in 45 Participation in Local Informational Video public spaces and local government. Government CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The Importance of Youth The benefits and mechanisms of youth 46 Participation in Local participation in public spaces and local Informational Video Government government. Overview of municipal budgeting, transparency, budget through the lens of 47 Municipal Budgets Informational Video gender, social inclusion, local economic and social development. What is access to public information? The 48 Public Information Access legal basis, procedures on how to solicit Video Tutorial information from the municipality. What is it? The characteristics, functions, 49 Alcaldias Indigenas Video Tutorial and requirements. What are these community organizations? Community Organizations, 50 Principles, mechanisms and how to Video Tutorial Women´s and Youth Networks promote their organization
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.2. Implementation of the AGAAI TA Plans: AGAAI has not expressed any current need for institutional strengthening from the Nexos Locales developed technical assistance plan. TA under the Y5WP has concluded and Nexos Locales is currently developing activities to be proposed under the Y6WP.
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.3. Best Practices Workshops: This sub-activity is being implemented through Sub- Activity Y5 6.1.1. The project anticipates presenting ANAM’s updated Municipal Toolbox website in Q20.
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4. Advocacy for Career Municipal Service: In Q19, the Career Municipal Service bill made the following advances:
1) In January 2019, the Municipal Affairs Commission (CAM) was reorganized per protocol at the beginning of the calendar year. This left Congressman, Rodolfo Castañón, as the new president of the CAM with ten new commission members. One of the new commission members, German Velásquez, is a strong proponent of the Career Municipal Service bill. His inclusion in the CAM is the direct result of ANAM’s intensive lobbying. As a commission member, Velasquez is much better positioned to advocate for the passing of the bill into law. Page 62 of 108
Photo 20: Scene from a meeting of the Municipal Affairs Commission
2) On February 13th, 2019, the Commission of Municipal Affairs convened to deliberate over the Municipal Career Service bill (initiative 5478). The commission’s president, Congressman Rodolfo Castañón, agreed to include the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM) as a permanent observing member (non-voting) of the commission for initiative 5478. German Velásquez presented the bill to the new commission members for their review. 3) On February 20th, 2019, the CAM reviewed the bill with the Legislative Research Directorate and mayors, combing through its content and discussing the Directorate’s suggested changes. ANAM committed to completing a comparative analysis of both proposals. 4) On March 13th, 2019, ANAM presented the comparative analysis to the CAM of both the original proposal and the Legislative Research Directorate’s proposal. The CAM established a legal working group with CAM-member assistants and representatives from the Legislative Research Directorate. 5) On March 20th, 2019, the CAM met to review the findings of the legal working group. Key steps were identified to strengthen the bill. These included a consultation with the legal director of the municipality of Guatemala City. 6) On March 26th, 2019, the CAM met with ANAM and the board of directors of mayors to reiterate their unwavering support for this bill. The members of the CAM committed to signing a favorable decision in the month of May 2019.
In Q20, the project anticipates the favorable decision of the CAM, which will permit the scheduling of the first debate in the general assembly of the Congress.
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.5. TA for Establishment and Strengthening of municipal Human Resource Offices: Through a grant to ANAM, two Municipal Human Resource Offices (OMRRHH) were established in San Lorenzo and San Pablo, located in the department of San Marcos. In Year 4, the project developed generic formats for municipalities’ to adapt to facilitate the establishment of OMRRHHs. This quarter, TA addressed adapting those generic formats to each unique municipal
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context. In two separate municipalities, the Result 6 technical specialist made field visits to monitor the progress of these two municipalities. In San Andres Sajcabajá, located in the department of Quiché, the OMRRHH is working diligently to increase the functionality of the office by maximizing project inputs. A key example is the creation of an internal document review process that augments inputs from the mayor, the municipal council and current municipal staff. The following advances were made with OMRRHH document development overall:
1) Six OMRRHH management guides (with a focus on social and gender inclusion) 2) Five OMRRHH procedural manuals 3) Ten 2019 OMRRHH POAs 4) 14 OMRRHH organization and function manuals 5) One position description manual 6) Four personnel recruitment, selection and contracting manuals 7) Five performance evaluation manuals 8) Two professional development workshop plans 9) Eight internal regulations on municipal personnel
In Q20, ANAM will continue to provide TA to the existing OMRRHHs and to advocate for the establishment of additional OMRRHHs. The establishment and strengthening of OMRRHHs is complementary to the passage of the Career Municipal Service bill. A fully functioning OMRRHH is essential to the successful implementation of the new law, once passed.
In Q20, Nexos Locales will prepare a strategy that will identify five pilot municipalities to serve as best-practices models for an integrated municipal strengthening package, involving testing the online training material as they are completed, laying the foundations and framework for implementation of the new Career Municipal Service bill, and continued technical assistance of municipal human resource staff for effective administration of the new law, once passed. These 5 pilot municipalities—to be determined—will permit feedback loops that will inform future technical assistance in these areas to the remaining municipalities under Nexos Locales’ coverage.
Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.6. Strengthening Indigenous Authorities: This grant finalized its administrative processes in early Q19. The project does not have any additional actions with indigenous authorities planned for Year 5.
Internal Cultural Pertinence Committee: In Q19, Nexos Locales hosted key officials from USAID Washington and USAID Guatemala in Huehuetenango to discuss how the project has integrated indigenous perspectives into governance program design and implementation in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Nexos Locales’ Internal Cultural Pertinence Committee outlined key examples of how indigenous perspective is vital for the project’s acceptance and success in the 44 municipalities of implementation. Examples included the importance of hiring local staff that resemble the geographic and linguistic diversity of the region, as well as ways in which the project is promoting increased participation of indigenous leaders in the COMUDEs (a form of city council). Nexos Locales’ Internal Cultural Pertinence Committee will continue pursuing opportunities to expand and improve its integration of indigenous perspectives into program design and project implementation. Next quarter, the committee anticipates submitting a Nexos Locales Pueblos Mayas strategy to USAID for approval.
NEXT STEPS During the next quarter Nexos Locales’ principal activities for this Result will include:
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ANAM will provide ongoing TA to municipalities to establish OMRRHH and to complete the necessary administrative processes to establish a well-organized municipal entity. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.5.) ANAM will complete the first round of 25 videos and capsules for municipal management. (Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.1.) The CAM will sign a favorable decision of the Career Municipal Service bill which will permit the scheduling of the first debate in the general assembly of the Congress. (Sub- Activity Y5 6.1.4.) The project will develop a strategy and select five pilot municipalities for implementation of a comprehensive municipal strengthening package involving the online training material, framework for the career municipal service law, and strengthening of the municipal human resource offices (Sub-activities Y5 6.1.1., 6.1.4 and 6.1.5).
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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Get Out the Vote Campaign- This quarter the project developed and implemented a multifaceted plan to encourage young people to register to vote. Activities included technical assistance to Municipal Youth Offices, Youth Networks, and CSOs on the registration process. The project also promoted voter registration by hanging large signs on the street in front of its main and regional officies. Lastly, Nexos Locales leveraged its social media presense to disseminate information on voter registration.
ALLIANCE FOR PROSPERITY REPORTING
USAID asks that Nexos Locales provide regular reporting on key elements of the Alliance for Prosperity (A4P). Relevant progress is described below in direct response to areas of interest as indicated by USAID. i) Target municipalities' efforts to promote and support capacity building to better manage and implement public financial systems
Throughout Q19, Nexos Locales supported municipal authorities to improve the management and implementation of their public financial systems. Some of the key ways Nexos Locales has assisted are: Nexos Locales provided TA to the Municipal Directorate of Finance Administration (DAFIM) to close the fiscal year by completing the following reports: 1) 2019 Budget; 2) Budget Liquidation 2018; 3) 2018 Balance Sheet; 4) 17 Accounting Annexes and Indexes 2018; and 5) Municipal Inventory 2018. Nexos Locales financed the participation of 16 municipal staff from four municipalities100 in a training about a new online platform for the Annual Contracting and Purchasing Plan (Plan Anual de Compras y Contrataciones [PACC]). In 2018, the Finance Ministry proposed an initiative to improve public procurement processes and transform the GUATECOMPRAS platform into a transactional tool. When the Finance Ministry launches the online module in Q21, the project will provide ongoing TA for increased capacity to manage the Annual Contracting and Purchasing Plan. In Q19, Nexos Locales supported the DAFIM in the 43 target municipalities to complete an in-depth analysis of water public service subsidies. In 2018, the project developed a cost analysis tool in Excel that allows municipal staff to input expenses and revenue related to water service provision to determine if the municipality is providing the service at a loss. The tool also generates projections of how increases or decreases to water fees will affect the subsidy. These analysis skills contribute to the improved management of public financial systems. ii) Development and implementation of municipal action plans to address weaknesses of financial management systems
100 Huehuetenango: 1) La Libertad, Huehuetenango; San Marcos: 2) Tacana, San Marcos; Quiché: 3) Chichicastenango; and Totonicapán: 4) Totonicapán. Page 66 of 108
In response to our mandate to diagnose the weaknesses of target municipalities’ financial systems, Nexos Locales develops technical assistance plans by way of institutional strategic tracking systems. To that end, Nexos Locales provided TA in 43 municipalities to address the weakness of financial management systems- specifically strengthening to improve the DAFIM’s performance against the DEMIN. iii) Municipalities' efforts to promote and facilitate citizen participation, particularly in the decentralization process and in municipal projects
The following successes in Q19 exemplify the positive role citizen participation plays in creating inclusive municipal processes:
Commission Strengthening of COMUDE: This quarter the project worked to update the reorganized the COMUDE commissions on the Function Manuals and POAs developed in 2018. This support created a smooth transition, promoting an accelerated pace compared to previous years. Increasing the functionality and efficiency of these commissions contributes to increasing citizen participation in the decentralization process.
CODEDE Project Approval Process: The COMUDEs are responsible for prioritizing projects which are then presented as proposals in the CODEDE for funding considerations. Unfortunately, COMUDE members are often unaware of this process and mayors submit projects that were not prioritized by the COMUDE for CODEDE funding. As the project provides TA on this process to the COMUDEs in the 43 project municipalities, it is increasing the functionality of the Development Council system as a means for increasing transparency and citizen participation in the development process.
Technical Assistance on Municipal Budgets: In the municipality of Huehuetenango, in the department of Huehuetenango, COMUDE meetings are not often scheduled, presumably as a means to limit citizen participation in the decision-making process. The project outreach specialist attended one of these last-minute COMUDE meetings in Q19 and was able to present the Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the COCODE Basic Functions Manual. The COMUDE members expressed a high level of interest in learning more about the municipal budget and their role as COCODEs. Due to the difficult context for the COMUDE given the political tensions in Huehuetenango, citizens are looking to leverage their role in the COMUDE to creating positive change. Although this activity is formally completed, the project will continue to provide ongoing ad-hoc technical assistance on municipal budgets and COCODE functions in municipalities where COMUDE members express an interest in furthering their understanding.
San Marcos, San Marcos: On January 29, 2019 in San Marcos, a working group comprised of civil society, private sector representatives, local authorities and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company, soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision in a private setting. The soft launch was financed by the municipality of San Marcos. Nexos Locales supported the working group as they developed the Charter, a tool to record written agreements between citizens and the municipality on quality standards and the joint responsibilities of each party in municipal service provision. The working group received 3,800 printed copies of the Charter (financed by Nexos Locales) for distribution to service users to publicize the agreements of the Charter. Developing the Charter proved to be an enriching experience in connecting end service users and service providers in pursuing agreements that will improve service provision over time.
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Support to the Access to Public Information Units (UAIP): By providing TA to the UAIPs in all 43 municipalities, the project is increasing the functionality of an entity that serves to provide key information to citizens. An example of specific support to the UAIPs in Q19 was the installation of the UAIP Annual Planner, which serves to notify and provide forms for key reports due to various government offices101.
iv) Efforts of COMUDEs and COCODEs, in target municipalities to address their constituents' needs
Over the life of the project, Nexos Locales has strengthened and expanded citizen participation in COMUDEs and COCODEs in its target municipalities102. This investment builds COMUDEs and COCODE knowledge on the legal proceedings and requirements to formalize the integration of the COMUDE (including meeting notices, agenda formulation, act creation and accreditation of members). The three social audit commissions103 created with Nexos Locales support, address constituents’ needs by examining municipal projects to confirm compliance with contract requirements. v) Efforts of local civil society organizations to prepare, present, and/or advocate for the implementation of municipal development plans in target municipalities
As a key component to the project, Nexos Locales strengthens CSO capacity to advocate for their interests in the development and implementation of municipal development plans. The arenas for this advocacy are within both the COMUDE, specifically, and the municipality in general. As previously reported, Nexos Locales awarded three regional grants to provide TA to civil society organizations (CSOs) in 43 municipalities to implement advocacy campaigns. These advocacy campaigns kick-started in Q19 concurrently with the 2019 electoral cycle, when incumbent mayors and candidates running for office are more likely to take the advocacy campaigns into account. TA under these grants strengthens CSO capacity to develop and present municipal development proposals as part of their advocacy campaigns.
vi) Municipalities’ efforts to develop and implement migration prevention plans, as well as to engage the private and productive sectors to increase social and economic opportunities.
While Nexos Locales does not directly assist municipalities to develop and implement migration prevention plans, several program activity areas support specific demographics that are at a high risk for migrating. For example:
Youth are an often a disenfranchised segment of the population who are at-risk for migrating. The project works to increase the participation of youth in municipal-level
101 An example of increased service quality is that the municipality of Chichicastenango responded to information requests the fastest in the department of Quiche, according to a PDH report (on the same or next day the request was made). 102 A concrete example is that over LOP a total of 674 COCODEs received capacity strengthening through budget analysis workshops and development of a COCODEs Basic Functions Manual to strengthen community development council capabilities for engaging actively and independently in municipal social accountability and citizen participation mechanisms. The project will report more concrete COMUDE accreditation achievements in Q21. 103 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) Concepción Huista; and San Marcos: 3) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. Page 68 of 108
decision-making within project municipalities to foster an environment where the needs of young people are included and addressed within local government. In Q19, TA began to implement 10104 municipal mayoral candidate forums on youth-related issues. By training youth about how to engage mayoral candidates on issues relevant to youth, the project is doubling its investment in youth.
104 Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) La Libertad; 3) Barillas; Quiche: 4) Nebaj; 5) Chichicastenango; 6) San Gaspar Chajul; 7) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 8) San Marcos; 9) Tacana; and 10) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. Page 69 of 108
VI. TRAINING EVENTS
Per the Year 5 Work Plan, there were no training events scheduled for Q19.
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VII. GRANTS ADMINISTRATION During the nineteenth quarter, the Grants and Technical teams administered one grant award, shown in Table 6.
Table 6: Grants Awarded in Q19
Sub-award Amount Type (i.e., Purpose or main focus of No. Name of Sub- of sub- Period of sub- activity (e.g. advocacy, Geographic location Sub-award Grantee/Contractor award Performance contract or strategic litigation, etc.) (US$) sub-grant) Asociación Nacional All the municipalities from the GR- Sub-Activity Y5 6.1.4. de Municipalidades de January – Republic of Guatemala, Quetzaltenango- Standard 26,313.56 Advocacy for Career la República de August 2019 including the Nexos Locales 082 Municipal Service Guatemala (ANAM) target municipalities
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VIII. PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL QUALITY:
Photo 21: Visit to Huehuetenango by USAD Washington Indigenous Advisor.
Visit by USAID Washington Indigenous Advisor, Brian Keane On February 12, 2019, Nexos Locales hosted key officials from USAID Washington and USAID Guatemala in Huehuetenango to discuss how the project has integrated indigenous perspectives into governance program design and implementation in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. USAID Nexos Locales’ Internal Cultural Pertinence Committee outlined key examples of how indigenous perspective is vital for the project’s acceptance and success in the 44 municipalities of implementation. Examples included the importance of hiring local staff that resemble the geographic and linguistic diversity of the region, as well as ways in which the project is promoting increased participation of indigenous leaders in the COMUDEs (a form of city council). In Q20, Nexos Locales’ Internal Cultural Pertinence Committee will continue pursuing opportunities to expand and improve its integration of indigenous perspectives into program design and project implementation. Next quarter, Nexos Locales expects to submit a project strategy for strengthened engagement of indigenous leaders and populations in project activity design and implementation. This strategy will outline key objectives and actions for years six through eight.
World Water Day 2019 On March 21, 2019, USAID Guatemala hosted an outdoor fair in celebration of World Water Day 2019 by showcasing project actions that address water-related issues. Nexos Locales’ water technical specialist put together a booth to exhibit key project actions with documents to showcase how Nexos locales is increasing access to safe water in the Western Highlands. The presentation included a demonstration of water quality testing, an explanation of the municipal water diagnostics and strategic water investment plans and their follow-up activities.
Performance Management Plan Immigration Indicator Last quarter, USAID approached Nexos Locales to discuss the development of a performance management plan (PMP) indicator to demonstrate how the project is reducing or mitigating
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migration to the United States. Despite the challenges of developing a new indicator in the fifth year of an eight-year project, given that Nexos Locales is a multi-sectorial project that works in approximately 13 different technical areas, the project was able to identify and propose an indicator that addresses a key migration push factor: lack of economic opportunity. In Q19, project leadership proposed to USAID a new custom indicator that measures the percentage of municipalities implementing income or employment generating projects stemming from actions identified in the Nexos Locales developed local economic development plans or the DMM strategies. The project will include this new indicator in its Y6 PMP submission for review and approval.
Equator Prize Nomination In Q19, Nexos Locales nominated a community organization from San Juan Atitán, Huehuetenango focused on reducing poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the Equator Prize, managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This community organization is a prime example of how indigenous culture, their leadership structure, and knowledge can contribute to sustainable conservation efforts in municipal development.
SCHEDULE:
The project submitted all contract reporting deliverables ahead or on schedule during the reporting period, which includes weekly project highlights, accruals reports and the project quarterly report. Nexos Locales also complied with ad-hoc information requests from USAID, such as nominating two women for participation in the International Visiting Leaders Program (IVLP) for women leaders, providing key contact coordination for the Prosperity Route Event (for the Guatemalan National Competitively Program [PRONACOM] on February 13-14, 2019), providing comments on the USAID Youth Advisory Council, proposing participants in the July 4, 2019 Embassy celebration, and participating in a coordination meeting with the Civic Participation project. Nexos Locales also disseminated key announcements on its social media pages to publicize educational opportunities for young people in the Western Highlands through the Project, Transforming Action. Lastly, the project completed its voter registration plan, as presented to USAID, in the agreed-upon timeframe of February through March 18, 2019. Additional updates included the Result 3 and 4 factsheets as well as the development of a factsheet on project inputs related to own-source revenue generation.
COST CONTROL:
Nexos Locales submitted its quarterly accruals report two days ahead of schedule, hitting its projections for March 2019 within 6% of expended costs. In response to the announcement of potential cuts in Central America funding for USAID projects, DAI’s field and home office began proactively developing different budget scenarios to showcase how far out the project’s current obligation can last. Nexos Locales’ in-house technical specialists offer a wide range of expertise in up to 13 different technical areas, allowing the project the flexibility to respond to changing priorities that fall within the scope of our current contract.
MANAGEMENT:
COP Transition and DCOP Key Personnel Approval As previously reported in Q17, the strength of the Nexos program lies in the stability and longevity of its key personnel staff. This quarter, the project completed its COP transition plan between Ms. Connie Paraskeva and Mr. Vince Broady, the former DCOP/Administration. Mr. Page 73 of 108
Carlos Aquino, former DCOP/Technical, took over as key personnel DCOP. The COP transition mirrors the overall staff reduction plan which aligns Nexos Locales’ management with the municipal reduction plan as the project downsizes to 30 municipalities in Q21 and later, in Year 6, to 15 municipalities. Mr. Broady has an exceptional managerial record and since having served as DCOP for Nexos Locales beginning in 2014, demonstrates a deep understanding of the administrative and technical needs of the project. Paired with Mr. Aquino’s technical experience, this updated model demonstrates the project’s flexibility to reorganize and meet the changing needs of project implementation while maintaining quality and reducing overhead costs.
Staff Reduction Plan Last quarter, the former COP announced to the project the first tranche of staff cuts as part of the project’s staff reduction plan. In Q19, six CNN-LTTA staff departed under this plan. One of the staff members expressed her gratitude to Nexos Locales in a goodbye speech in which she narrated previous experiences of discrimination when interviewing for projects. As a person with a disability, she often experienced, that despite being highly qualified for positions, she was not selected due to her disability. But at Nexos Locales she expressed being valued and welcomed from the moment she entered the interview room through her final day with the project. This testimony demonstrates Nexos Locales’ commitment to anti-discriminatory hiring processes and its constant effort to create a work environment where all are valued, respected and given the tools needed to thrive.
This quarter the project also experienced the unplanned departure of three outreach specialists who expressed their interest in participating in the current electoral process as mayoral candidates and members of municipal councils. All three employees expressed gratitude to Nexos Locales for the professional development opportunities and how the project contributed to their formation as positive actors for the future development of more transparent local governments.
In the wake of those three unexpected departures, the project contracted two of the staff previously separated in January. It is the project’s strategy to shortlist those staff who were previously let go under the staff reduction plan. This maximizes project investment by avoiding training new consultants and accelerates the transition of responsibilities.
Meetings with ANAM In Q19, project COP and DCOP met with ANAM’s president as a part of the COP transition process. This meeting emphasized Nexos Locales’ support to ANAM and the Career Municipal Service bill as a mission-essential component of project goals. After meeting with the president of ANAM, the COP and DCOP met with ANAM’s technical staff to hear directly how grant implementation was progressing. The project will schedule a similar meeting with AGAAI should any interventions or grants be programmed in the future.
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Contract Management During the reporting period, no contract modifications were signed.
Election Guidance to Staff On January 24, 2019, Nexos Locales’ COP released an official project policy on the do’s and don’ts of staff participation and project activities that involve political parties during the electoral process. On February 12, 2019, the project received official instructions on this topic from USAID and the project policy was updated on February 18th to broaden the policy in support of Page 74 of 108
USAID’s additional guidance. This policy, and the nature by which project leadership anticipated the need for clear directives regarding participation in the political process for staff members, demonstrates how Nexos Locales works to diligently anticipate contextual factors that will impact project implementation, and reduce risk to USAID. A key example is the soft launch of the Citizen Charter in San Marcos, San Marcos. While initially conceived as a high profile public event, the project revised the objectives of the event to comply with the updated Guatemalan law on propaganda during electoral processes. This last-minute change to a vague new law helped to avoid accusations that the mayor was using a project event to advance his re-election campaign prior to the official electoral period. Flexibility in cases such as these have prevented the project (and its local partners in positions of authority) from being linked with questionable involvement in political activities while still advancing Nexos Locales’ mandate.
Branding Exceptions On February 22, 2019, the project received USAID approval for an exception to branding and marking for Sub-Activity Y5 2.3.1 CSO Advocacy Support and Sub-Activity Y5 2.6.3. Support to Youth Advocacy Efforts Pre and Post Elections. This exception was sought for programmatic reasons to avoid compromising the intrinsic independence or neutrality of program materials. This is particularly evident for supporting successful efforts by civil society and Guatemalan youth of the Nexos Locales project in developing and implementing locally-driven advocacy campaigns and public forums for candidates during an election year. Neutrality ensures that the perceived and real benefits of the advocacy campaigns and public forums are designed and implemented without the direct participation or influence by third party actors. Independence in this process means that USAID has not played an active role in selecting the advocacy topics or issues important to the CSOs or youth groups, but rather has established priority areas for which CSOs and youth have been encouraged to pursue, but not forced to implement. Through its grantees, Nexos Locales has enabled CSOs to organically identify advocacy issues important to their municipalities and communities. The same approach applied to Youth through the project’s long- term technical staff.
Notification to USAID of Interview Request On March 15, 2019, the project notified USAID of an interview request made by an international journalist contracted through PRONACOM. This action demonstrates the project’s commitment to complying with USAID guidance on contact with the press.
SHORT-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The table below represents a summary of short-term technical assistance (STTA) contracted during the nineteenth quarter.
Table 7: Short-Term Technical Assistance Contracted in Q19
STTA No. Activity Title Objective Consultant Name LGP-STTA-211 ANAM Financial The accountant will support the Rene Garcia Chavez Assistant for USAID following sub-activities executed by Nexos Locales ANAM through grants administered Grants by USAID Nexos Locales:
A4. 6.1.5. "Technical Assistance (TA) for the establishment and Strengthening of the Municipal Page 75 of 108
Offices of Human Resources". A4. 6.1.6 "Evaluation of capacities of Human Resources offices of the New Municipalities". TO 5. 6.1.1. "Development of Online Training Modules for Municipal Management". TO 5. 6.1.4. "Incidence for a Municipal Service Law LGP-STTA-212 Consultant # 3 for Indicator 13: Percentage of municipal Carlos Signor measurement of water systems that provide drinking water quality in 12 water. municipalities of the area of coverage of the project LGP-STTA-213 Consultant # 2 for Indicator 13: Percentage of municipal Mario Orozco measurement of water systems that provide drinking water quality in 15 water. municipalities of the area of coverage of the project LGP-STTA-214 Consultant # 1 for Indicator 13: Percentage of municipal Carlos Cordova measurement of water systems that provide drinking water quality in 13 water. municipalities of the area of coverage of the project LGP-STTA-215 Municipal Outreach Municipal Outreach Specialist Liliana López Specialist Consultant to provide Technical Assistance to 3 municipalities of the Huehuetenango Cluster LGP-STTA-216 Municipal Outreach Municipal Outreach Specialist Ilsy Pérez Specialist Consultant to provide Technical Assistance to 3 municipalities of the Quiche Cluster
CONTRACT DELIVERABLE APPROVALS
In this reporting period, the project received USAID approval for AR4/QR17, which was submitted on October 22, 2018.
INTERNAL TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
CV & Professional Network Skills Strengthening Nexos Locales provided a second round of advisory sessions on March 14th for two staff that were notified of their staff separations . These sessions review CV development and skills networking for new job placement. This session was provided within 30 days after staff were notified of their positions being cut. The session was facilitated by the COP on best practices for how to develop and strengthen a CV, and tips on effective job hunting, professional networking, and successful job interviewing techniques. Nexos Locales understands the importance of its project human resources and is committed to preparing departing staff for their next career advancements. Page 76 of 108
Indigenous Training The COP and DCOP attended a USAID training on indigenous affairs where the USAID Guatemala Indigenous Strategy was presented to implementing partners.
Commemoration of International Women’s Day The project citizen participation technical specialist and the strategic communications manager attended the US Embassy and USAID forum titled ‘Dynamic Leaders Closing Gaps’ in commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8th. This forum showcased women and men working in distinct realms to reduce gender inequality.
AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEES (AACs)
During the reporting period, no AAC meetings were held.
SECURITY The project detected four water-related social conflicts in Q19. These occurred in the following municipalities: 1) Uspantán, Quiché; 2) Cunén, Quiché; 3) Chiantla, Huehuetenango; and 4) San Bartolome Jocotenango, Quiché. On several occasions, these conflicts resulted in the blocking of main roadways and closure of the municipal building. The project will continue to monitor these situations but they have yet to reach a level that has negatively impacted programming implementation. This quarter one project staff member was the victim of theft. Nexos Locales’ COP made contact with the new USAID security liaison, Diana Amezquita to establish a line of communication should any need arise at a later date.
HUEHUETENANGO REGIONAL OFFICE On March 15, 2019, the owner of the Huehuetenango Regional Office notified the project that the property was being sold and that the new owner was not interested in continuing the current rental agreement with the project. Nexos Locales responded quickly by completing market research and site visits to determine the availability of other properties. The Huehuetenango regional office will move to a new property in Q20 for twelve months.
SOCIAL MEDIA
See update on Q19 Social Media growth below:
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Figure 2: Q19 Social Media Update Page 78 of 108
IX. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Table 8: Contract budget and expenditures as of March 31, 2019
Financial Report
BUDGET EXPENSES CHART (JANUARY - MARCH 2019) DAI GLOBAL LLC. - NEXOS LOCALES AID-520-C-14-00002
INVOICED AUTHORIZED TO DATE LINE ITEMS BALANCE EXPENDITURES THRU 31- MAR-19
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION $22,242,561 $15,617,213 $6,625,348
FIXED FEE $1,192,284 $872,361 $319,923
GRANTS $2,861,274 $2,456,191 $405,083
TOTAL COST $26,296,119 $18,945,765 $7,350,354
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OBLIGATIONS AND FUNDING SOURCES
Total Obligation as of March 31, 2019: $21,994,713
Democracy & Governance
1. Total Amount Obligated: $14,242,767 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $11,976,487 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $2,266,280
Feed the Future
1. Total Amount Obligated: $2,760,562 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $2,484,857 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $275,705
Climate Change
1. Total Amount Obligated: $1,991,385 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $1,963,072 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $28,313
Maternal and Child Health
1. Total Amount Obligated: $800.000 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $800,000 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $0
Water Sanitation and Hygiene
1. Total Amount Obligated: $800,000 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $713,068 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $86,932
Nutrition
1. Total Amount Obligated: $1,399,999 2. Total Amount Invoiced: $1,008,583 3. Remaining Unexpended Funds: $391,416
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ANNEX I: GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
ANAM (Asociación Nacional de Municipalidades)- The National Association of Municipalities of the Republic of Guatemala (ANAM) is a private, autonomous, non-profit, non-partisan, non-religious and eminently democratic entity. ANAM represents the interest of of all 340 municipalities and their local leaders. ANAM advocates for the implementation of the decentralization law and is uniquely positioned to link municipal government issues with the country’sregional and national development strategies. According to the Guatemalan Municipal Code (Decreto Numero 12-2002, Titlulo 1, Articulo 10) all municipalities have the right to organize themselves with the function of guaranteeing the central government’s compliance with the constitution. ANAM has three principle strategic lines: 1) Creation and modification of the inclusive municipal legal platform; 2) Implementation of the national municipal agenda; and 3) Strengthening of ANAM. The general assembly of ANAM meets annually (normally in January) where all 340 mayors discuss pivotal issues and where every two years, they vote on the board of directors.
AGAAI (Asociación de Guatemala de Alcaldes y Autoridades Indígenas)- The Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities of the Republic of Guatemala (AGAAI) was founded in 1996 to establish a space for discussion, exchange, and support between mayors and indigenous authorities (legally based in the Guatemalan Peace Accords, the Municipal Code, the Decentralization Law and the Ley de Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural). Indigenous authorities make up a separate power/political structure from the formally recognized elected authorities (i.e. the 340 municipal mayors). AGAAI works directly with these indigenous leaders as an intermediary between the formalized political structure and the ancestral system. This mainly results in looking for space where both structures overlap to provide insight on the development of their municipality. This often results in the creation of Indigenous Authority Councils (CAIs) which represent indigenous leaders in the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE).
ALCALDIAS INDIGENAS- (Referred to as alcaldias municipales, alcaldias comunitarias, consejo principales, consejo de lideres) are ancestral organizations, with varied structures depending on the historical context of each municipality (recognized in Decreto Numero 12-2002, Titulo 1I, Capitulo IV, Article 55). Most indigenous councils consist of a mayor-like figure, elders, and advisors who meet to discuss crucial issues or are consulted when conflicts arise in the municipality. The leaders are chosen based predominantly on questions of morality and standing as a reputable member of the community. Primary functions of the alcaldias indigenas may include inter-family and neighbor conflict resolution, natural resource management, and monitoring and management of the community’s land. The alcaldia indigena is a voluntary role and operates as a service to the community. The ancestral system is revered and esteemed for its lack of self-interest. Depending on the context, the alcaldia indigena can possess more decision-making authority in the municipality than the elected mayor does.
CAIs - (Indigenous Authority Councils) ancestral leaders who self-organize with the intention of participating in the municipal system. CAIs functions vary by municipality but generallythey serve as advisors to the mayor while advocating for recognition by and accreditation in the COMUDE.
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CITIZEN CHARTER- The Charter is a tool that records agreements between citizens and the municipal government on quality standards and the joint responsibilities in municipal service provision that both sides agree to uphold. The Charter helps improve the quality of government service provision by addressing many pre-conditions for quality services. For example, to permit monitoring of the service standards set forth in the Charter, Nexos Locales staff often assist in the establishment of municipal record-keeping practices and the development of systems to track service provision information. Continuous monitoring of municipal achievement of quality standards provides a continuous feedback loop on the quality of municipal services. Additionally, the process of negotiating service quality standards between municipal service providers and end-users of the service lends greatly to conflict mitigation and prevention as end-users increase their understanding of municipal constraints in meeting citizen demands for services.
COCODE (Consejo de Desarrollo Comunitario)- The Community Development Council is the community-level forum for designing project proposals as a component of the broader system of development councils (Ley de Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural Decreto 11-2002, Articulo 14). Each community with a population of over 250 people is eligible to form a COCODE, which is comprised of all community members. The COCODE chooses an órgano de coordination serving as a board of directors and more commonly referred to as the COCODE. The COCODE (or organo de coordinacion del COCODE) is made up of five to seven people who serve for two years as COCODE representatives. The election of the COCODE is an informal voting process (hand raising). The COCODEs manage all questions relating to the development of their community and on occasion they handle inter-personal conflict resolution. Two members of the organo de coordinacion del COCODE participate in the municipal development council (COMUDE) to represent the particular needs of their community.
SECOND-LEVEL COCODES- Guatemalan law limits COCODE participation in the COMUDE to 20 communities. However, many municipalities have over 20 communities in their jurisdiction. Therefore, communities can create micro-regions, where several communities unite to form a micro- region and where the COCODEs represent the micro-region in the COMUDE meetings. This facilitates the COMUDE’s ability to function smoothly while maintaining proper citizen representation (Ley de Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural, Decreto 11-2002).
COMUDE (Consejo de Dearrollo Comunitario)- The Municipal Development Council (COMUDE) is the municipal-level forum for presenting and voting on relevant municipal issues as a component of the broader system of development councils (established in the Ley de Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural Decreto 11-2002, Articulo 11). The municipal mayor, secretary and Municipal Planning Directorate (DMP) coordinate the monthly meeting. Participants include council members, COCODE representatives (up to 20 total), representatives of public institutions (national police, magistrate’s court, the ministry of health, among others), and representatives from civil society (religious leaders, cooperatives, women’s and youth groups). The frequency of the COMUDE meetings depends on the municipality, but they are required to occur at least 12 times a year (according to Decreto 11-2002, Articulo 16).
DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS- The Law of Urban and Rural Councils (Ley de Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural Decreto 11-2002) establishes a system of development councils that serve as the main means of participation for the Maya, Xinca, Garífuna and non-indigenous population in public management responsible for the democratic planning process of development. a) National level = the National Council of Urban and Rural Development (CONADUR) b) Regional level = the Regional Councils of Urban and Rural Development (COREDE) Page 82 of 108
c) Departmental level = the Departmental Development Councils (CODEDE) d) Municipal level = the Municipal Development Councils (COMUDE) e) Community level = the Community Development Councils (COCODE)
COFETARN (Comisión de Fomento Económico, Turismo, y Recursos Naturales)- The commission of economic development, tourism, and natural resources (COFETARN) is a municipal commission coordinated by the Municipal Local Economic Development (LED) office or the forestry office that functions as a policy making body. The COFETARN participates in the COMUDE and develops plans to stimulate sustainable economic development via municipal regulations and policies.
DAFIM (Dirección Administrativa Financiera Municipal)- The Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate (DAFIM) is an entity within the municipality that manages all financial processes (Decreto Numero 12-2002, Title VI, Capitulo I, Article 99). This includes managing the budget, daily control of the municipal accounts, and the receptoria or customer attendance for bill payment. The DAFIM director coordinates frequently with the mayor to communicate the financial standing of the municipality. Nexos Locales provides TA to the DAFIM teams to make systems more efficient and to investigate methods to increase own-source revenue generation.
DMM (Dirección Municipal de la Mujer)- is a municipal entity whose mandate specifically focuses on developing projects and programs to improve the situation for women at the municipal level. In 2017, a national law promoted the municipal women’s offices (OMMs, established in 2010 through Decreto 12-2002 Articulo 96, later modified) to directorates which elevated their importance and role within the municipality. Nexos Locales has worked diligently to train the coordinators of the DMM on project design, strategic planning and budgeting as well as technical topics related to food security and nutrition.
GIS (Geographic Information System)- GIS is a computer software system that allows users to input geographic data and convert it into marked maps using GPS technology. The program permits users to develop overlays of data to represent various sets of information. For example, Nexos Locales works with the municipal water and sanitation offices to visit each house in the municipality and note the GPS coordinates. Then, the coordinator of the OMAS enters each set of GPS coordinates into the program to generate a pin on the map for that one water user. Once all the water users’ locations are mapped, the OMAS adds a new layer of data: solvency in water service payment. A color coding system is developed where users are assigned a color pin that corresponds to the amount of money owed to the municipality to pay for water service. The OMAS can also develop maps of water service infrastructure in the municipality to increase maintenance and repair efficiency by using the maps to reduce response times.
MANCOMUNIDADES- an association of neighboring municipalities where they coordinate predetermined activities for the mutual benefit of all members. Municipalities have the right to collaborate and create associations whereby they can create statutes and work in a cooperative manner (Decreto Numero 12-2002, Title 1I, Capitulo II, Articulo 49).
OMAS (Oficina Municipal de Agua y Sanitation)- The Municipal Office for Water and Sanitation is the municipal entity responsible for overseeing water provision, water quality, and sanitation matters (often solid waste management and municipal slaughterhouses). OMAS are based in law, in that municipalities are legally responsible for public service provision. Of the 340 municipalities, 120 have OMAS. OMAS are typically comprised of a coordinator and fontaneros (plumbers), who handle maintenance and connection issues.
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OMDEL (Oficina Municipal de Desarrollo Económico Local)- The Municipal Local Economic Development Offices (OMDEL) are a municipal entity that designs actions with the COFETARN to stimulate the local economy. This entity is not required by law, however, it is a valuable resource for municipalities to centralize efforts and projects for economic growth. OMDELs investigate and advance possible public private partnerships (PPP), agricultural cooperatives, and new opportunities for investment and employment.
OMJ (Oficina Municipal de la Juventud)- The Municipal Youth Offices (OMJs) serve as a municipal entity which advocate for the needs of young people. According to the National Youth Policy 2012- 2020, OMJs enable spaces for advocacy of youth issues in municipal development. OMJs coordinate the design, and implementation of local youth plan.
PUBLIC FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTS- (referred to as 'rendiciones de cuentas' in Spanish) a form of public financial reporting where municipal governments present revenue and spending data to citizens, governmental entities and the Municipal Council four times annually (three quarters and one quarter/annual combined, as mandated in Decreto 22-2010, Articulo 135). Rendiciones de cuentas takes various forms depending on the context: some local governments simply project a straightforward excel spreadsheet outlining revenue and spending in the COMUDE meetings while other municipalities present the data accompanied by photographs/video of infrastructure project advances.
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) – a written agreement between a public entity (or entities) and the private sector for collaboration leading to a specific public benefit, in which both parties bear similar risk and management responsibility.
SOCIAL AUDIT- a public accountability mechanism through which civil society organizations, ideally in conjunction with relevant government officials, audit public expenditure of service delivery or public works (The ability to request information for social audits is protected under Decreto Numero 12- 2002, Title V1I, Capitulo I, Article 139).
SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY- an approach toward building accountability from public officials that relies on civic engagement. This occurs when ordinary citizens and/or civil society organizations participate directly or indirectly in exacting accountability from government service providers. Social accountability is based on a 4-part premise of 1) access to information, 2) citizen organization, 3) citizen action and 4) government's response to that action. Social accountability mechanisms can include: budget analysis; participatory budgeting and development planning; public expenditure tracking; community monitoring of goods and service provision (example is use of citizen scorecards); development and monitoring of codes of conduct, citizen charters, and integrity pacts.
UAIP (Unidad de Acceso a Información Publica)- The Public Access to Information Unit (UAIP) is a municipal entity required by law (Decreto 57-2008, Articulo 19) for responding to citizens requests for public information. The UAIP provides citizens with a form which initiates the process to obtain the relevant public information. Then the UAIP acquires the information and completes the request, keeping clear records of what information was solicited and how long it took the municipality to field the necessary information. The UAIP registers all requests online with the Procurador de Derechos Humanos (PDH, who are responsible for municipalities’ compliance with the Public Access to Information Law) and any failures in compliance result in the PDH filing an official complaint against the mayor.
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ANNEX II: WORK PLAN ACTIVITY TRACKER NEXOS LOCALES YEAR 5 WORK PLAN CHART BY ACTIVITY
Symbol Significance
Completed / Ongoing and On Schedule Delayed start date but on-schedule for completion in Y5 Q18 October, November, December 2018 Q19 January, February, March 2019 Q20 April, May, June 2019 Q21 July, August, September 2019
RESULT 1 - SOUND PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments
1.1 Assess capacity of target municipalities, particularly in the areas of revenue generation, purchasing and procurement, administration and planning, and compliance with the Public Access to Information Law. 1.1.1 GIS Support Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
1.2 Deliver technical assistance that meets the specific needs of the target municipalities.
1.2.1 TA to Advance Overall DAFIM Performance Against the DEMIN Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
Further Dissemination of Radio Spots on Citizen Responsibilities 1.2.2 Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. to Pay Municipal Fees
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1.2.3 TA in Implementation of the Public Access to Information Law Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
1.2.4 Replication of the Transparency App Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
1.3 Deliver technical assistance that meets the specific needs of the target municipalities.
1.3.1 Consolidation of COMUDE Strengthening Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
1.4 Build the capacity of the mancomunidades to develop and implement regional strategies. 1.4.1 Solid Waste Treatment Planning Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
RESULT 2: STRENGTHENED CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments 2.1 Conduct an entry point map No Sub-Activity Completed in Y1-4
2.2 Train Citizens so they can analyze local authority budgets and public spending
2.2 No Sub-Activity Q21 This activity is ongoing in Y5. 2.3 Build the capacity of CSOs to engage municipalities through COMUDEs.
2.3.1 CSO Advocacy Support Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is onoing.
Establishment and Strengthening of Municipal Women’s 2.3.2 Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. Commissions and Networks 2.4 Support CSOs to implement social accountability mechanisms.
2.4.1 TA for Social Accountability Tools (Citizen Charter) Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
2.5 Provide technical assistance to the COCODEs through grants to CSOs
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Provision of the COCODE Basic Functions Manual and Citizen’s Q18 This sub-activity began in Q18 and completed in Q19. Guide to the Budget to the 15 New Municipalities 2.5.1 2.6 Implement a strategy to stengthen youth participation in municipal decision-making
Strengthening and Establishing Municipal Youth Offices Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. 2.6.1
Strengthening and establishing youth commissions Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. 2.6.2
Support to Youth Advocacy Efforts Pre- and Post- Elections Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. 2.6.3 RESULT 3: INCREASED QUALITY OF POTABLE WATER IN 44 MUNICIPALITIES Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments 3.1 Map water sector stakeholders. This activity completed in Year 1 and 4. 3.2 Provide technical assistance to municipalities to improve water service delivery. 3.2.1 Establishment and Strengthening of OMAs Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
3.2.2 Implementation of Strategic Investment Plans Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
3.2.3 Further Disseminate Water Messages Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
3.3 Assist municipalities with the development of watershed management and protection plans and train them on plan implementation.
See Y5 5.3.2
RESULT 4: LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS ESTABLISHED AND IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments
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4.1 Build the capacity of the Municipal Women's Office to support the design and implementation of municipal plans to address food security and nutrition.
4.1.1 Follow-on TA for DMMs Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
4.2 Coordinate with municipalities to establish and operate food security situation rooms. TA for Establishment and Implementation of the SAN Situation 4.2.1 Q19 This activity began in Q18 and completed in Q19. Rooms 4.3 Help municipalities develop LED plans.
4.3.1 Implementation of LED Plans and Policies Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
4.3.2 STTA in Public-Private Partnerships Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
4.4 Coordinate with other USAID implementing partners to support access to basic municipal services for small-scale producers and their associations.
No Sub-activity Completed in Years 1-4.
RESULT 5: MUNICIPAL PLANS ESTABLISHED TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments 5.1 Improve municipalities' awareness of climate stressors and of adaptation measures.
5.1 No sub-activity Completed in Years 1-4 of the project.
5.2 Build the capacity of municipalities to assess vulnerabilities to climate change, prioritize climate adaptation measures, mobilize resources, and respond to emergencies. 5.2 No sub-activity (integrated into Sub-activity Y4 4.3.3) Completed in Years 1-4 of the project.
5.3 Assist municipalities with developing adaptation plans and implementing joint watershed management plans aimed at reducing vulnerability to hydro-meteorological events.
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5.3.1 Implementation of Adaptation Plans Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
5.3.2 Implementation of Watershed Management Plans Q20 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
5.4 Build citizen knowledge of climate stressors so they are better able to participate in the municipal planning. No activity planned for Y5. RESULT 6: INCREASED CAPACITY OF ANAM AND AGAAI TO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AND REPLICATE SUCCESSFUL MODELS NATIONWIDE Scheduled Activity & Sub-Activity Completion Status Comments 6.1 Deliver technical assistance and training to ANAM and AGAAI to improve their service provision and ability to advocate on the topics of crime prevention, food security, health, DRR, and climate change vulnerability reduction. Development of Online Training Materials for Municipal 6.1.1 Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. Management No further institutional strengthening TA is planned for 6.1.2 Implementation of the AGAAI TA plans AGAAI in Y5.
6.1.3 Best Practices Workshops Q20 This sub-activity began in Q19 and is ongoing.
6.1.4 Advocacy for a Municipal Career Civil Service Law Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
TA for Establishment and Strengthening of Municipal Human 6.1.5 Q21 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing. Resource Offices
6.1.6 Strengthening Indigenous Authorities Q19 This sub-activity began in Q18 and is ongoing.
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ANNEX III: MUNICIPALITY TRACKER
RESULT 1: SOUND PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities
1.1 Assess capacity of target municipalities, particularly in the areas of revenue generation, purchasing and procurement, administration and planning, and compliance with the Public Access to Information Law. Quiché: 1) San Juan Cotzal; 2) Santa María Nebaj; 3) Uspantán; 4) Sacapulas; 5) Santo Tomas Chichicastenango; 1.1.1 GIS Support Quetzaltenango: 6) Concepción Chiquirichapa; San Marcos: 7) San Pablo; 8) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; 9) Nuevo Progreso; Huehuetenango: 10) Chiantla; 11) Cuilco; and 12) La Libertad. 1.2 Deliver technical assistance that meets the specific needs of the target municipalities. 1.2.1 TA to Advance Overall DAFIM Performance Against the DEMIN All 43 municipalities Further Dissemination of Radio Spots on Citizen Responsibilities 1.2.2 All 43 municipalities to Pay Municipal Fees 1.2.3 TA in Implementation of the Public Access to Information Law All 43 municipalities Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 1.2.4 Replication of the Transparency App San Marcos: 2) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; and Quiche: 3) Sacapulas. 1.3 Deliver technical assistance that meets the specific needs of the target municipalities. 1.3.1 Consolidation of COMUDE Strengthening All 43 municipalities
1.4 Build the capacity of the mancomunidades to develop and implement regional strategies. San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; 2) Tajumulco; 3) Sibinal; 4) Tacana; 5) Concepcion Tutuapa; 1.4.1 Solid Waste Treatment Planning 6) Comitancillo; 7) San Marcos; 8) San Miguel Ixtahuacan; and Quetzaltenango: 9) San Juan Ostuncalco.
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RESULT 2: STRENGTHENED CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities 2.1 Conduct an entry point map No Sub-Activity Completed in all 44 municipalities
2.2 Train Citizens so they can analyze local authority budgets and public spending
2.2 No Sub-Activity All 43 municipalities
2.3 Build the capacity of CSOs to engage municipalities through COMUDEs. 2.3.1 CSO Advocacy Support All 43 municipalities Establishment and Strengthening of Municipal Women’s 2.3.2 All 43 municipalities Commissions and Networks 2.4 Support CSOs to implement social accountability mechanisms. Huehuetenango: 1) Barillas; 2) La Libertad; and 2.4.1 TA for Social Accountability Tools (Citizen Charter) San Marcos: 3) San Marcos. 2.5 Provide technical assistance to the COCODEs through grants to CSOs Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Provision of the COCODE Basic Functions Manual and Citizen’s Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Guide to the Budget to the 15 New Municipalities Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and 2.5.1 Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 2.6 Implement a strategy to stengthen youth participation in municipal decision-making 2.6.1 Strengthening and Establishing Municipal Youth Offices All 43 municipalities 2.6.2 Strengthening and establishing youth commissions All 43 municipalities Huehuetenango: 1) Chiantla; 2) La Libertad; 3) Barillas; Support to Youth Advocacy Efforts Pre- and Post- Elections Quiche: 4) Nebaj; 5) Chichicastenango; 6) San Gaspar Chajul; 7) Santa Cruz del Quiche; 2.6.3 San Marcos: 8) San Marcos; 9) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; and 10) Tacana. RESULT 3: INCREASED QUALITY OF POTABLE WATER IN 44 MUNICIPALITIES
Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities
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3.1 Map water sector stakeholders. Completed in all 44 municipalities 3.2 Provide technical assistance to municipalities to improve water service delivery. 3.2.1 Establishment and Strengthening of OMAs 42 municipalities (exception San Juan Atitan)
3.2.2 Implementation of Strategic Investment Plans 40 (exception San Juan Atitan and San Bartolome Jocotenango)
3.2.3 Further Disseminate Water Messages 42 municipalities (exception San Juan Atitan)
3.3 Assist municipalities with the development of watershed management and protection plans and train them on plan implementation.
See Y5 5.3.2 Quetzaltenango: 1) San Juan Ostuncalco; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa.
RESULT 4: LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS ESTABLISHED AND IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities 4.1 Build the capacity of the Municipal Women's Office to support the design and implementation of municipal plans to address food security and nutrition. 4.1.1 Follow-on TA for DMMs All 43 municipalities 4.2 Coordinate with municipalities to establish and operate food security situation rooms. TA for Establishment and Implementation of the SAN Situation 4.2.1 All 43 municipalities Rooms 4.3 Help municipalities develop LED plans.
4.3.1 Implementation of LED Plans and Policies All 43 municipalities
Quiche: 1) Uspantan; 2) Nebaj; and 3) Cunen. 4.3.2 STTA in Public-Private Partnerships Pursuing new opportunities in all 43 municipalities 4.4 Coordinate with other USAID implementing partners to support access to basic municipal services for small-scale producers and their associations.
No Sub-activity Completed in all 44 municipalities
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RESULT 5: MUNICIPAL PLANS ESTABLISHED TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS
Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities 5.1 Improve municipalities' awareness of climate stressors and of adaptation measures.
5.1 No sub-activity Completed in all 44 municipalities
5.2 Build the capacity of municipalities to assess vulnerabilities to climate change, prioritize climate adaptation measures, mobilize resources, and respond to emergencies. 5.2 No sub-activity (integrated into Sub-activity Y4 4.3.3) Completed in all 44 municipalities
5.3 Assist municipalities with developing adaptation plans and implementing joint watershed management plans aimed at reducing vulnerability to hydro-meteorological events.
5.3.1 Implementation of Adaptation Plans All 43 municipalities
5.3.2 Implementation of Watershed Management Plans Quetzaltenango: 1) San Juan Ostuncalco; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa.
5.4 Build citizen knowledge of climate stressors so they are better able to participate in the municipal planning. No activity planned for Y5. RESULT 6: INCREASED CAPACITY OF ANAM AND AGAAI TO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AND REPLICATE SUCCESSFUL MODELS NATIONWIDE
Activity & Sub-Activity Municipalities 6.1 Deliver technical assistance and training to ANAM and AGAAI to improve their service provision and ability to advocate on the topics of crime prevention, food security, health, DRR, and climate change vulnerability reduction. Development of Online Training Materials for Municipal 6.1.1 .All 43 municipalities Management 6.1.2 Implementation of the AGAAI TA plans No further institutional strengthening TA is planned for AGAAI in Y5. 6.1.3 Best Practices Workshops All 43 municipalities 6.1.4 Advocacy for a Municipal Career Civil Service Law All 43 municipalities
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TA for Establishment and Strengthening of Municipal Human 6.1.5 All 43 municipalities Resource Offices Municipalities under project coverage: Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 3) San Juan Atitán; Quiché: 4) Chajul; 5) Sacapulas; 6) Zacualpa; 7) Nebaj; 8) Cotzal; 9) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiché; 6.1.6 Strengthening Indigenous Authorities Totonicapán: 11) Santa Lucia la Reforma; 12) Totonicapán; Quetzaltenango: 13) Concepción Chiquirichapa; San Marcos: 14) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 15) Tacana. Municipalities outside of project coverage: 1) Santa Bárbara; 2) San Juan Ixcoy; 3) San Pedro Jocopilas; 4) Olintepeque; 5) Cajola.
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ANNEX IV: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Nexos Locales PMP Report Quarterly 2 Year 5
Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) USAID CDCS Goal: A more secure Guatemala that fosters greater socio-economic development in the Western Highlands and sustainably manages its natural resources.
Project Level Result: Strengthened municipalities foster more responsive, inclusive, and effective socio-economic development while reducing local vulnerabilities such as food insecurity and natural disasters. 1.Cross-cutting Indicator Quarterly 0 N/A N/A 2 12 10 7 3 3 3 6 37 35 Number of activities and (Individual projects developed and/or targets per implemented mutually or in year) coordination with other USG and USAID Guatemala partners in the Western Highlands. (C )
NB The title of this indicator was modified by removing mention of the Western Highlands Integrated Program (WHIP) as per changes to USAID programming. 2. Number of USG- Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 17 14 9 5 2 1 3 43 52 supported activities (Individual designed to promote or targets per
105 LOP = Life of Project 106 Q1 = Quarterly 1
107 Q2 = Quarterly 2
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) strengthen the civic year) participation of women (F) (Disaggregated by municipality)
3. Number of youth who Quarterly 0 N/A N/A 150 215 406 437 100 0 79 79 1287 1210 have participated in a USG- (Individual supported activity who targets per assume leadership roles year) within their communities. (C)
(Disaggregated by municipality, gender [Female, male and others (includes sexual diversity)] and ethnicity) Disaggregated by gender Male N/A N/A N/A 47% 49% 53% 46% 60% 0% 41% 41% 44% 60% Female N/A N/A N/A 53% 51% 47% 54% 40% 0% 59% 59% 56% 40% Disaggregated by ethnic Maya N/A N/A N/A 83% 75% 61% 65% N/A 0% 71% 71% 66% N/A group Garifuna N/A N/A N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Ladino N/A N/A N/A 17% 25% 38% 35% N/A 0% 28% 28% 33% N/A
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) Xinca N/A N/A N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Otro N/A N/A N/A 0% 1% 1% 0% N/A 0% 1% 1% 1% N/A Disaggregated by age group Older N/A N/A N/A 0% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A than 29 years 1% 29 year or N/A N/A N/A 100% 99% 100% 100% N/A 0% 100% 100% 100% N/A youngest (youth) 4. Number of public Annually N/A N/A 75 N/A 37 64 94 90 N/A N/A N/A 195 345 accountability or transparency mechanisms implemented with USG support. (C)
Y5 This indicator was modified from: Number of accountability presentations made by the municipalities to the COMUDEs each year (C)
(Disaggregated (where appropriate) by: Government level: Region, Department, Municipality, Community, National)
NB Y5 This indicator was modified in March of 2018 as part of a USAID/G effort to standardize indicators across DG projects. The indicator used to count only the rendiciones de cuenta presented to the COMUDEs. Under the new indicator, these rendiciones de cuenta are
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) still counted, but additional accountability mechanisms are added, such as the establishment of functioning municipal offices of access to information. 5. Number of individuals Quarterly 0 N/A N/A 338 1835 1430 2665 1200 647 1213 1860 8128 7300 who received USG-assisted (40%F (40%F training, including /60%M) /60%M) management skills and fiscal (Individual management, to strengthen targets per local government and/or year) decentralization. (F)
(Disaggregated by gender, youth, ethnicity, and municipality)
NB: The project is responsible for the overall numbers in targets, but not for the gender disaggregation targets. Disaggregated by gender Male N/A N/A N/A 55% 73% 76% 55% 60% 50% 54% 52% 53% 60% Female N/A N/A N/A 45% 27% 24% 45% 40% 50% 46% 48% 47% 40% Disaggregated by ethnic Maya N/A N/A N/A 67% 49% 57% 67% N/A 59% 62% 61% 62% N/A group Garifuna N/A N/A N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Ladino N/A N/A N/A 33% 48% 42% 32% N/A 41% 36% 38% 38% N/A Xinca N/A N/A N/A 0% 1% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Otro N/A N/A N/A 0% 2% 1% 1% N/A 0% 2% 1% 1% N/A Disaggregated by age group 29 year or N/A N/A N/A 40% 24% 26% 37% N/A 23% 35% 29% 29% N/A youngest (youth) Older N/A N/A N/A 60% 76% 74% 63% N/A 77% 65% 71% 71% N/A than 29 years 6. Number of community Annually N/A N/A 610 N/A 423 437 621 600 N/A N/A N/A 1481 2160 Page 98 of 108
Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) or CSO-proposed initiatives receiving USG support that are implemented. (C)
Y5 This indicator was modified from: Number of projects presented and/or prioritized by municipalities in coordination with communities/civil society (C)
NB Y5 This indicator was modified in March of 2018 as part of a USAID/G effort to standardize indicators across DG projects. The indicator used to count all projects proposed by CSOs in the COMUDEs. It now counts only those deemed to be in at least the first stage of implementation, which consists of the projects’ having been assigned a SNIP (Sistema Nacional de Inversión Pública) number.
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) 7. Percentage of Annually 38% 93% N/A N/A 72% 86% 93% 93% N/A N/A N/A 93% 93% municipalities that practice participatory planning. (C)
Y5 This indicator was modified from: Percentage of municipalities that practice participatory planning and budgeting (C)
8. Percentage of Annually 55% 80% N/A N/A 68% 76% 86% 50% N/A N/A N/A 86% 86% municipalities that achieve (cumulative) an increase in municipal own-source-revenues in relation to the prior period (C)
(Disaggregated by municipality and revenue source) NB: This indicator was changed to reflect the percentage of project municipalities that achieve an increase in own-source- revenues in place of percentage increase in those revenues for greater accuracy in measuring impact of project support. The baseline and targets for prior years were also revised to reflect this change.
Result 2: Strengthened civil society participation in social accountability processes
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) 9. Number of social Quarterly 0 N/A N/A 1 25 32 18 32 1 1 2 78 120 accountability actions conducted under the project. (C) 10. Percentage of youth Quarterly N/A N/A N/A 71% 19% 43% 50% 40% 40% 38% 39% 45% 50% and women among participants in project- funded social accountability actions. (C)
29, Number of civil society Annually N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A 20 N/A N/A N/A 0 44 organizations (CSOs) receiving USG assistance engaged in advocacy interventions. (F) Result 6: Increased capacity of ANAM and AGAAI to support municipal development and replicate successful models nationwide. 11. Number of Annually 0 N/A N/A 2 6 6 6 5 N/A N/A N/A 20 22 performance management tools developed by ANAM and AGAAI supported by the project. (C) 12. Number of project- Semi- 0 N/A N/A 1 5 6 4 0 N/A N/A N/A 16 17 funded advocacy initiatives annually and trainings conducted by ANAM and AGAAI. (C) DO2: Improved Levels of Economic Growth and Social Development in the Western Highlands Result 3: Increased quality of potable water in 43 FtF municipalities 13. Percentage of municipal Semi- 13% 20% N/A N/A 25% 28% 50% 50% N/A 75% 75% 75% 60% water systems that provide annually potable water (C)
(Disaggregated by municipality)
14. Number of Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 15 13 13 0 N/A N/A N/A 41 41 municipalities that develop a sustainability strategy for
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) Municipal Potable Water Systems. (C)
(Disaggregated by municipality) 15. Number of Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 9 16 20 N/A N/A N/A 25 62 municipalities that have taken at least two significant steps towards implementation of their sustainable plan. (C ) Disaggregated by municipality 16. 108* Percentage of Semi- 22% N/A N/A N/A 32% N/A ------32% N/A community water systems annually N/A in the WHIP area that have chlorinated water.(C) 17. Number of watershed Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 1 1 N/A 0 N/A N/A N/A 2 4 management plans developed and/or implemented. (C). Result 4: Local Development Plans established and implemented in order to improve food security and economic development. 18. Number of institutions Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 466 278 320 125 43 173 216 1280 1135 /organizations undertaking capacity/competency strengthening as a result of USG assistance (F) [USG FACT: EG 4.5.1]
(Disaggregated by municipality)
108 *This indicator is eliminated from the PMP.
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) 19. 109Proportion of female Quarterly N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.9 0.4 ------0.65(59 F) 0.4F participants in USG- (26F) (33F) 0.35 (52 M) 0.6M assisted programs designed 0.1(4M) 0.6 to increase access to (48 productive economic M) resources (assets, credit, income or employment) (F) [USG FACT: GNDR-2] 20. Number of agricultural Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 29 29 29 10 0 0 0 87 86 and nutritional enabling environment policies completing the following processes/steps of development as a result of USG assistance in each case: 1. Analysis; 2. Stakeholder consultation/public debate; 3. Drafting or revision; 4. Approval (legislative or regulatory); 5. Full and effective implementation (F) [USG FACT: 4.5.1(24)]
NB: The targets are accurate given the amount of time required for the extensive consensus- building that must occur at each stage of policy development and approval. Multiple bodies at municipal and state levels must be consulted as well
109 *This indicator is eliminated from the PMP.
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) as other stakeholder groups. The level of targets projected accords with the experience of project staff who have undertaken similar policy work under other development projects. NB: As per agreement with USAID, each policy will be reported annually in accordance with the processes/steps of development at the close of the reporting period. 21. Number of individuals Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 867 828 788 175 146 259 405 2888 2455 who have received USG (40% F (40%F/ supported short-term 60% M) 60%M) agricultural sector productivity or food security training.(F) [USG FACT: 4.5.2-7]
(Disaggregated by municipality, gender, ethnicity, and youth).
NB: The project is responsible for the overall numbers in targets, but not for the gender disaggregation targets
Disaggregated by gender Male N/A N/A N/A N/A 85% 71% 50% 60% 68% 64% 66% 61% 60% Female N/A N/A N/A N/A 15% 29% 50% 40% 32% 36% 34% 39% 40% Disaggregated by ethnic Maya N/A N/A N/A N/A 49% 52% 57% N/A 57% 56% 56% 57% N/A group Garifuna N/A N/A N/A N/A 0% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Ladino N/A N/A N/A N/A 48% 46% 41% N/A 43% 42% 43% 42% N/A Xinca N/A N/A N/A N/A 1% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Page 104 of 108
Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) Otro N/A N/A N/A N/A 2% 2% 2% N/A 0% 2% 1% 1% N/A Disaggregated by age group 29 year or N/A N/A N/A N/A 21% 27% 31% N/A 22% 25% 24% 25% N/A (youth = 29 year or youngest youngest) Older N/A N/A N/A N/A 79% 73% 69% N/A 78% 75% 76% 75% N/A than 29 years 22. Number of food Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 35 33 15 0 N/A N/A N/A 83 55 security private enterprises (new) (for profit), producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based Organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance. (F) [USG FACT: 4.5.2-11]
(Disaggregated by organization type and municipality)
NB: Targets will be set only for “new” organizations, though continuing organizations will be recorded and reported as a footnote.
23. Number of public- Quarterly 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 0 1 0 N/A N/A N/A 1 4 private Partnerships formed as a result of FtF assistance. (F) [USG FACT: 4.5.2-12]
(Disaggregated by partnership focus) 24. Number of people Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 378 82 94 0 N/A N/A N/A 554 550 Page 105 of 108
Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) trained in child health and (40%F/ nutrition through USG- 60%M) supported programs. (F) [USG FACT: 3.1.9-1]
(Disaggregated by gender, youth, ethnicity, and municipality)
NB: The project is responsible for the overall numbers in targets, but not for the gender disaggregation targets. Although this indicator permits participants to be counted more than once, the project targets will reflect only first-time participants as a more meaningful measure. Total numbers of participants trained will recorded and reported as a footnote to PMP reports.
Disaggregated by gender Male N/A N/A N/A N/A 79% 12% 0% 60% 0% 0% 0% 23% 60% Female N/A N/A N/A N/A 21% 88% 100% 40% 0% 0% 0% 77% 40% Disaggregated by ethnic Maya N/A N/A N/A N/A 49% 63% 69% N/A 0% 0% 0% 63% N/A group Garifuna N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Ladino N/A N/A N/A N/A 48% 37% 30% N/A 0% 0% 0% 36% N/A Xinca N/A N/A N/A N/A 1% 0% 0% N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A Otro N/A N/A N/A N/A 2% 0% 1% N/A 0% 0% 0% 1% N/A Disaggregated by age group Older N/A N/A N/A N/A 19% 59% 63% N/A 0% 0% 0% 66% N/A than 29 years 29 year or N/A N/A N/A N/A 81% 41% 37% N/A 0% 0% 0% 34% N/A
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Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) youngest (youth) DO3: Improved Management of Natural Resources to Mitigate Impacts of Global Climate Change. Result 5: Municipal Plans established to reduce climate change vulnerability and TA provided for implementation of plans. 25. Number of institutions Annually 0 0 N/A N/A 18 8 12 0 N/A N/A N/A 38 39 with improved capacity to address climate change issues as a result of USG assistance (F) [USG FACT: 4.8.2-14]
(Disaggregated by municipality and type of institution, adaptation capacity)
26. Number of Annually N/A N/A N/A N/A 301 123 298 0 N/A N/A N/A 722 585 stakeholders with increased capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change as a result of USG assistance (F) [USG FACT: 4.8.2-26] 27. Number of climate Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 21 14 19 3 N/A N/A N/A 54 54 adaptation tools, technologies and methodologies developed, tested and/or adopted as a result of USG assistance (F) [USG FACT: 4.8.2-8]
(Disaggregated by tools, technologies and methodologies) 28. Number of laws, Annually 0 N/A N/A N/A 20 17 17 5 N/A N/A N/A 54 62 policies, strategies, plans, or regulations addressing climate change (adaptation) Page 107 of 108
Baseline Year 5
All Year Planned Achievement Performance Indicator Frequency LOP105 Original Municipalities 1 Year Year Planned Municipalities (Applies to Year 3 4 Total Cumulative New Indicators 2 Q1106 Q2107 Municipalities #4,6,29) and/or biodiversity conservation officially proposed, adopted, or implemented as a result of USG assistance (F) [USG FACT: 4.8.2-28]
Disaggregated by: Laws, policies, strategies, plans or regulations and by stage of passage
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