In El Salvador, a country ravaged by renewed violence perpetrated by criminal gangs, or maras. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF funds a number of projects to empower citizens to make use of recently adopted legislation to build rule of law and human rights. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF Executive Head Annika Savill visited both projects in San Salvador in July 2015.
One initative, implemented by La Fundaci¨®n Dr. Guillermo Manuel Ungo, works to advance the implementation of the recent Law for Access to Public Information against considerable strcutural obstacles throughout the country including lack of awareness, capacity and polittical will. The project operates in 10 municipalities to support public and private stakeholders in publicizing, implementing and overseeing enforcement of the law.
Another project works to give effect to new laws on combating violence and eliminating of discrimination against women. Implemented by Fundaci¨®n Mundubat in San Salvador and Zacatecoluca, it focuses on capacity building, state monitoring, institutional strengthening, and coordinating stakeholders through training, public awareness campaign, civil society observatory monitoring so as to work in concert with the state designated body. Several of the implenting partners are men who help to raise awareness of the problematic sides of masculinity. It was thus a precursor to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ solidarity campaign HeForShe which engages men and boys as agents of change taking action against inequalities faced by women and girls.