USAID Nexos Locales Quarterly Report 18 October - December 2018 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Quarterly Report captures the breadth of activities performed during the eighteenth quarter (Q18), which ranges from October 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. 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.

USAID Nexos Locales (Contract No. AID-520-C-14-00002) is an eight-year program that began in June 2014 and is implemented by DAI Global, LLC (DAI). The primary goal of USAID Nexos Locales is to strengthen 44 municipalities in the Western Highlands of to foster a more responsive, inclusive, and effective socio-economic development while reducing local vulnerabilities such as food insecurity and natural disasters.

Key managerial updates this quarter included hosting the visit of the U.S. Ambassador and the USAID Deputy Mission Director in the municipality of San Juan Atitán in the department of to meet with the Indigenous Council. Additionally, the project initiated the first steps of the staff reduction plan aligned with the capacity for the municipalities to absorb project inputs through the pre-and post- electoral periods.

In Quarter 18, Nexos Locales began implementing the Year 5 work plan with a fluid transition to the Integrated Municipal Evaluations (DEMINs) to monitor project interventions in nine municipal entities across 43 municipalities. Individualized technical assistance in the strengthening of these municipal offices and commissions, paired with support to execute municipal plans (made in Years 1 through 4 of the project) to guide investments and actions in the six result areas, produced a unique set of achievements.

Advances across all six result areas of the contract are described below:

Result 1, Sound Public Financial Systems - Project staff provided technical assistance to the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate (DAFIM) on inventory management and to the Public Access to Information Units (UAIP) on detailing information requests to the Procurador de Derechos Humanos (PDH) in 43 municipalities. Nexos Locales launched the replication of the smartphone transparency application in , Quiché and San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos, thus facilitating access to public data on the municipal budget and enhancing the dialogue between citizens and local authorities on public service provision. Lastly, the Social Audit Commission in , Huehuetenango presented the findings of the first audit to the City Council (Municipal Development Council, COMUDE).

Result 2, Citizen Participation - This quarter two new Municipal Youth Offices were established with project support ( and , in the department of Huehuetenango) while seven new youth networks1 were formed. Nexos Locales grantees and project staff advocated for the creation of women’s networks, of which eight2 were accredited in the city councils with full rights to

1 San Marcos: 1) Tajumulco; 2) Sibinal; Huehuetenango: 3) Concepción Huista; 4) La Democracia; 5) San Antonio Huista; 6) Jacaltenango; and 7) La Libertad. 2 Huehuetenango: 1) ; 2) La Libertad; Quiche: 3) Sacapulas; 4) Uspantán; 5) ; 6) ; 7) Santo Tomas ; and 8) . USAID Nexos Locales Quarterly Report 18 October - December 2018 participate and vote on key issues. Such actions contribute to diversifying and increasing citizen participation in decision-making spaces historically comprised of older males.

Result 3, Increased Quality of Potable Water - In Q18, project staff coordinated with municipal authorities to create three3 Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS). In the 42 municipalities where water plans were developed in Years 1-4 of the project, Nexos Locales continued providing technical assistance as local authorities implement the plans investing in clear actions improving water quality and access to safe water. The municipalities’ publicized the need for water users to pay for public service provision by using low-cost methods to reproduce the Nexos Locales-produced radio spots.

Result 4 and 5, Local Economic Development and Climate Change Adaptation- Through Nexos Locales’ coordination, the municipalities of and Cunén, both located in the department of Quiché, passed municipal agreements committing to a public-private partnership (PPP) with PRODERT- Helvetas. All 15 Local Economic Development/Climate Change Adaptation diagnostics and plans (as a segment of SEGEPLAN’s Proceso de Actualización y Alineamiento de Planes Municipales de Desarrollo a Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial plans) were completed and will be published on the project website early next quarter.

Result 6, ANAM & AGAAI- On October 23, 2018, with the support of Nexos Locales and the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM), the municipal career civil service bill passed the first reading before the plenary in the Guatemalan Congress. Project grantee, ANAM, supported 20 municipalities4 to establish Municipal Human Resource Offices (OMRRHH) by signing a municipal office creation agreement. Through a grant to the Guatemalan Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities (AGAAI), four CAIs5 have been accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE.

3 Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) Huehuetenango; and 3) Chiantla. 4 Huehuetenango: 1) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 2) Concepción Huista; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) Cuilco; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; Quiche: 8) Nebaj; 9) Cotzal; 10) Sacapulas; 11) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 12) San Andrés Sajcabajá; San Marcos: 13) Nuevo Progreso; 14) San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta; 15) San Lorenzo; 16) Tajumulco; 17) Sibinal; 18) Tacana; 19) Concepción Tutuapa; and 20) Comitancillo. 5 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; Quiche: 2) San Gaspar Chajul; 3) Sacapulas; and 4) .