The proliferation of social conflict, as well as creative community engagement and response, mark the social and political landscape of Guatemala. Conflicts often manifest themselves through roadblocks and public protests–in some cases leading to dialogue, and in others escalating to further conflict. These tensions play out against a backdrop of endemic inequity, economic insecurity, and fragile institutions. Through these conditions are unfavorable, a diverse and active civil society thrives throughout the country. Despite several decades of internal conflict, communities within Guatemala are striving to move past historic injustices and move towards a more peaceful and inclusive society.
PartnersGlobal was one of the implementing partners of a five year, USAID-funded peacebuilding program in Guatemala that seeks to reduce social conflict and violence, improving social cohesion and peacebuilding in Guatemala’s Western Highlands Region. Partners served as a conflict transformation advisor and led the institutional strengthening component of the program. This work entailed engaging with government officials and social actors to strengthen a culture and capacity for dialogue, consensus-building, and collaboration. Since 2020, Partners designed and delivered seven comprehensive online courses containing over 65 hours of learning to over 200 participants. Topics included:
- Collaboration for Crisis Management
- Conflict Management and Transformation
- Impacts and Response to the Pandemic and Subsequent Crises
- Resiliency to Navigate Uncertainty
- Citizen Participation & Social Crises Response
- Dialogue and Facilitation
- Community Peace Education
- Effective and Nonviolent Communication
In 2020 and 2021, Partners also designed and delivered a multi-session online awareness program on effective and nonviolent communications. The guide below was developed for the online program and outlines the critical conflict analysis tools Partners pioneered under the program.
In 2022-2023 under the program Partners worked closely with the National Civil Police (PNC) of Guatemala to design a Toolkit on Conflict Management and Resolution to strengthen civil police officers’ community work. Learn more about our work with police in Guatemala HERE.
For more information on our peacebuilding and conflict transformation programs, click HERE.
Annex-14a.-Revised-Introductory-Guide-and-Toolkit-on-Conflict-Resolution-for-UPCV-2022-v2