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Organization: UN Children’s Fund
Country: Panama
Closing date: 01 Jan 2018

NUTRITION IN EMERGENCY SURGE RESPONSE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN´S FUNDS (UNICEF)

Call for expression of interest for potential candidates to be part of the Nutrition Rapid Response Roster

Purpose of the jobUNICEF is developing a Nutrition Rapid Response Roster (RRR), a pool of qualified readily available candidates able to be deployed to respond to sudden or slow-onset emergencies to provide technical and operational support in nutrition in emergencies. UNICEF is calling for potential candidates with experience in nutrition in emergencies and suitable qualifications, and interest and availability to support nutrition in emergency response actions in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to be part of the Nutrition RRR. Candidates of the RRR will be contacted when there is a need for immediate deployment upon request by the UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Background and justificationLatin America and the Caribbean is one of the most disaster–prone regions in the world. Increasingly vulnerable to the effects of a range of natural hazards, climate change and armed conflict and violence, imminent threats to human lives and individual wellbeing are of increasing concern. The most vulnerable population groups to malnutrition, as well as to the impact of disasters and emergency situations, are the rural and urban poor, those who belong to indigenous and afro-descendants’ groups, have low educational levels and limited access to health services and inadequate water and sanitation.

UNICEF is a key global actor in Nutrition both in development and emergency contexts. As part of development programs UNICEF supports the capacity development of national governments and other key stakeholders to achieve Nutrition security for the most vulnerable groups. In emergency situations, UNICEF has identified the Nutrition sector as a key priority in its “Core Commitments for Children” (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, and is committed to support the prevention and care for malnutrition of affected and displaced populations, with focus on children and women. Under the provisions of the Humanitarian Reform, promoted by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), UNICEF has been designated as agency leader of the Nutrition Cluster with the responsibility to coordinate the humanitarian response at times of emergencies, to deliver a more efficient and effective response to the affected communities, as well as coordinate preparedness actions for capacity strengthening of all involved actors.

Main task related to the jobThe following tasks are general activities to be undertaken to respond to emergency situations. These will be aligned with priorities of the UNICEF Country Office and needs of the specific emergency, for which specific TORs will be prepared.

General tasks may include:- Support UNICEF country office to plan and implement emergency nutrition response activities in coordination with UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and UNICEF-HQ- Support UNICEF country office to coordinate the nutrition response by engaging with government, UN agencies, NGOs and other key nutrition partners from the nutrition coordination mechanism/nutrition cluster- Support collaboration with Food Security, Health and WASH Sectors- Support nutrition assessment in collaboration with key nutrition partners – Provide inputs to funding proposals to support nutrition emergency actions- Develop or adapt technical guidance or training materials as needed- Support any other activity of the UNICEF country office as needed: communication, procurement of supplies, planning of operations etc.

Deliverables– Specific deliverables will be discussed ad hoc. Qualifications and specialized knowledge/experience requiered– University degree in public health nutrition or related field- Experience in nutrition programming/international nutrition in humanitarian contexts- Qualifications/technical skills in nutrition in emergencies and/or operational field experience in supporting nutrition emergency response- Understanding of UNICEF mandate and role- Ability to work under pressure and under minimum supervision- Ability to engage with government and partners- Fluency in oral and written English and/or Spanish; French and/or Portuguese is an added advantage.- Preferably residing in the region

Estimated duration of the contract and proposalThe RRR will be revised every year. Candidates who make themselves available for an emergency response will be given priority for the following calls. If over a period of 2 years the candidate is called twice and is not available, she/he will be taken out from the RRR. She/he may reapply at a later stage. Reporting responsabilities/supervisionThe consultant will be supervised by the Regional Nutrition Specialist in UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and/or UNICEF country office.

Selection procedures

Please indicate the following information in your application:- Resume- Nationality- Country of residence- Language skills- Availability- Time notice required before deployment- Geographic preference for deployment (within their country or in any other country in the region)

Eligible candidates will be contacted for an interview for an evaluation of their background, qualifications and experience to subsequently be included in the RRR.

How to apply:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=506811

Organization: UN Children’s Fund
Country: Chile
Closing date: 14 Sep 2017

Contract Type: Fixed Term AppointmentProposed Level: NO-CDuty Station: Santiago, ChileSupervisor: DeputyRepresentative

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

For every child, a champion

Accountable for effective engagement in social policy dialogue with the Government for programme development, advocating for increased and efficient public resource allocation and budgeting towards the social sector and sustainable decentralization of social services and local capacity building in support of the goal of universal coverage of essential social services and the creation of a protective environment for children. Conducts data collection and analysis to fill information gaps and to strengthen capacity for advocacy for children’s rights.

Constructive dialogue and partnerships are established between international and local social policy stakeholders, to provide effective protective environment for the most vulnerable children, including progressive compliance of principal policy documents and legislation regarding all aspects of child rights.

Current information on state budget and spending patterns and decentralization status of social services are monitored and updated on an on-going basis to support advocacy for decentralization and universal coverage of essential services.

Decentralization of social services is made sustainable through adequate local support, keeping decentralized services both accessible and effective. Programme plans of action are developed for children at provincial and district/municipality levels; coordination between sectors are increased and links between different levels of government structures for policy implementation are strengthened.

Data-driven analysis is provided for effective prioritization, planning, development, and results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives. Gender/sex disaggregated data and inputs provided, relevant to the Social Policy programme.

Advocacy efforts are effectively made to raise awareness on children’s rights with both the general public and with policy makers, and to ensure local buy-in and continued relevance of UNICEF programming.

Effective partnerships with the Government and other agencies established to enable sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Millennium Development Goals for continuing worldwide progress of the UNICEF mission.

UNICEF social policy programme effectively planned, implemented and managed in support of the country programme.

We are looking for a dynamic and innovative Social Policy Specialist to support UNICEF’s Chile programmes in the following areas:

Social Policy dialogue and programme development

Participates in social policy dialogue and development with the Government, engages in and establishes constructive dialogue and partnerships between international and local stakeholders to support the development of social policies and programmes contributing to the progressive realization of children’s rights and strengthening of implementation and monitoring mechanisms at all levels of society, and ensures that the services reach out in innovative, effective ways to those most vulnerable pockets of children and families that have been previously left out.

Promotes the advocacy for juvenile justice reform, supports child rights-based reviews of national, provincial and local legislation, in close consultation with community-level structures and supports the health and education sectors and the social welfare system for children.

Identifies opportunities for south-south and triangular cooperation, and establishes networks with other countries (through UNICEF offices) to facilitate the exchange of experiences and the collaboration among countries.

Monitoring state budget resources

Monitors and updates current information on state budgeting and spending patterns for social programmes and decentralization status of social services on an on-going basis to support advocacy for greater public resources and budget allocation for social development, the prioritization of resource allocation for children, and universal coverage of essential services for children, to ensure that they reflect the best interest of children.

Sustainable decentralization and capacity building

Where the national decentralization process is taking place, collaborates with the central and local authorities to assist in planning, policy discussion and service delivery closely responding to the needs of local communities.

Provides on-going support in making decentralization sustainable through adequate local support while keeping decentralized services both accessible and effective.

Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen community-based capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of social policy and programmes.

Develops programme plans of action for children at provincial and district/municipality levels; strengthens coordination between sectors and between different levels of government structures for policy implementation.

Data collection, analysis and results-based approach

Collects systematically qualitative data for the sound and up-to-date assessment of the situation of children and women to provide the base-lines for result-based decisions on interventions and evaluations. Develops information systems for monitoring child rights indicators, with emphasis on community and child participation.

Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives. Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender/sex disaggregated data.

Analyzes the macroeconomic context of social policy programmes and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children

Advocacy and communication

Promotes and raises awareness on children’s rights with both the general public and with policy makers, utilizing effective information dissemination, mass media campaign, special events, and other means, to ensure local buy-in, commitment, and continued relevance of UNICEF programming. Highlight interventions to attain social policy goals which are designed to reduce gender inequalities.

Partnerships

Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Millennium Development Goals and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) agenda.

Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

UNICEF Programme Management

Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme.

Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have:

Education

Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, International Finance, public relations, media, communication, or other relevant disciplines.

Work Experience

Five years of relevant professional work experience.

Field work experience.

Background/familiarity with Emergency.

Language Proficiency

Fluency in English and Spanish.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

Core Values (Required)

Commitment

Diversity and Inclusion

Integrity

Core Competencies (Required)

Communication [ II ]

Working with People [ II ]

Drive for Results [ II ]

Functional Competencies (Required)

Leading and Supervising [ II ]

Formulating Strategies and Concepts [ II ]

Analyzing [ III]

Relating and Networking [ II ]

Persuading and Influencing [ II ]

Planning and Organizing [ III ]

Candidates must be citizens of Chile to be considered eligible for this post. Please note that the National Officers(NOs) are locally recruited staff and therefore, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

How to apply:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=506750

Organization: Oxfam
Country: El Salvador
Closing date: 25 Aug 2017

Team Purpose

Coordinar la implementación del programa de país de Oxfam en El Salvador (Humanitario, Ciudadanía Activa y Género), en coherencia con la estrategia de país. Proveer análisis estratégico relevante interno y externo; implementación de proyectos con altos estándares de calidad, eficiencia y eficacia; desarrollar y ampliar permanentemente el portafolio de donantes para el programa con criterios de sostenibilidad Job Purpose Responsable de coordinar técnicamente el proyecto financiado por Comic Relief (Red Nose Fund).

Este proyecto tiene como objetivo fortalecer las capacidades de la comunidad educativa para abordar los riesgos sociales y ambientales, así como fortalecer las capacidades de niños y niñas para participar en economías locales. Será desarrollado en 8 centros escolares del municipio de Ahuachapán, departamento de Ahuachapán.

Será responsable del logro de objetivos con altos estándares de calidad, eficiencia y eficacia, de acuerdo a los lineamientos de Oxfam y el donante; alinear la implementación del proyecto en mención conforme a los objetivos del programa de país y promover la colaboración y coordinación entre los diferentes actores y sectores involucrados.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Implementación del proyecto de Comic Relief /Red Nose Day

• Asegurar la implementación programática y financiera del proyecto en el municipio de Ahuachapán
• Ejecutar en el período establecido las actividades previstas en el proyecto tanto de los fondos ejecutados directamente por Oxfam y monitorear la ejecución programática y presupuestaria de cada una de las copartes dentro del proyecto.
• Participar en el Comité Municipal de Prevención de Ahuachapán para articular acciones relacionadas con los centros educativos, así como articular con actores de Protección Civil municipal, Gobernación de Ahuachapán y SIBASI Ahuachapán.
• Elaborar planes anuales de ejecución del proyecto a ser ejecutado en Ahuachapán. Mantener presencia en territorio y coordinación con instancias locales relevantes para el desarrollo del proyecto.
• Organizar y acompañar misiones de campo tanto de staff de Oxfam a nivel local, internacional, así como del donante y otros actores relevantes.

Monitoreo y Seguimiento

• Implementar el marco de monitoreo, evaluación y aprendizaje en base a estándares MEL de Oxfam para cada uno de los grants otorgados a copartes y en el proyecto como uno.
• Garantizar la elaboración de informes y organizar evaluaciones del proyecto de acuerdo al calendario y lineamientos de Oxfam y el donante.
• Acompañar a las copartes en la implementación de acciones y mantener un diálogo horizontal y continuo.

Otros:

• Apoyar al equipo de país en casos de emergencias humanitarias
• Otras tareas asignadas por su supervisor/a inmediato
• Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge
• Essential
• Identificación con los principios y valores promovidos por Oxfam
• Título universitario en trabajo social, ingeniería, sociología, economía, derecho u otros campos afines.
• Experiencia previa en manejo de programas, manejo de donaciones de la cooperación internacional.
• Al menos 5 años de experiencia en el trabajo con niñez, centros escolares y coordinación con el Ministerio de Educación.
• Conocimiento especializado en abordaje de la justicia de género. Además, compromiso de la igualdad de género y la incorporación del mismo como eje transversal.
• Conocimiento especializado en al menos una de las siguientes áreas: gestión del riesgo ante desastres, inclusión económica, agua y saneamiento, metodología de ahorro comunitario y género. Se favorecerá candidatos que manejen más de una de estas temáticas.
• Habilidad de relacionarse y representar a Oxfam antes diversos actores
• gubernamentales, no gubernamentales, comunitarios y privados.
• Habilidades de planificación, organización, y comunicación interpersonal y
• capacidad de análisis de contextos complejos.
• Habilidad para trabajar de manera independiente y como parte de un equipo.
• Disposición para trabajar bajo presión y por resultado.
• Manejo de vehículo estándar.
• Disposición para trabajar fuera de horarios en casos de emergencia.
• Manejo de MS Office.
• Desirable
• Estudios de postgrado o formación continua en temas de interés
• Disponibilidad para trabajar en un ambiente multicultural
• Conocimiento de idioma inglés

How to apply:

Los/las interesados/as enviar carta de interés en la consultoría, oferta técnica y económica, y los testados de estudios estipulados en el currículum actualizado por vía electrónica a más tardar el miércoles 25 de agosto de 2017, hasta las 5:00 pm, al correo electrónico: marco.alfaro@oxfam.org Las entrevistas de los candidatos/as que sean considerados para la consultoría se les comunicara vía correo electrónico.

Organization: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Peru
Closing date: 27 Aug 2017

La Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y la Media Luna Roja (FICR) es la red humanitaria más grande del mundo, que cuenta con 97 millones de voluntarios y colaboradores en 190 países.

La Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y la Media Luna Roja apoya a las comunidades para que sean más fuertes y seguras, mediante diversos proyectos de desarrollo y actividades humanitarias en desastres y crisis, además el Movimiento colabora con gobiernos, donantes y otras organizaciones de ayuda para brindar asistencia a las personas vulnerables en todo el mundo.

La Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y la Media Luna Roja actúa como auxiliar de los poderes públicos en el país a través de sus áreas de salud, gestión del riesgo de desastres y voluntariado desarrollando actividades, programas y proyectos de ayuda, promoviendo el desarrollo y resiliencia de la población vulnerable o afectada por emergencias y desastres.

Nuestro trabajo se guía por siete principios fundamentales: humanidad, imparcialidad, neutralidad, independencia, voluntariado, unidad y universalidad, que son la base de nuestra visión colectiva y la determinación para avanzar en la lucha contra los principales desafíos que enfrenta el Perú en la presente década.

Objetivo de la contratación. Apoyar la implementación y coordinación, con el equipo técnico en terreno y de la sede, de las actividades relacionadas con la respuesta a la emergencia por el niño costero en los departamentos de Piura y Lambayeque. Monitorea la respuesta en la zona de intervención, elabora informes basado en los formatos de FICR, apoya el trabajo de comunicaciones, apoya los trámites y procesos financieros y de logística de la FICR y CRP e apoya la implementación de los varios componentes del proyecto incluyendo alojamientos temporales, agua e saneamiento, salud comunitaria, apoyo psicosocial entre otros.

Perfil Requerido

• Profesional titulado en ciencias sociales y económicas o afines.
• Experiencia mínima de 03 años en la implementación de proyectos similares.
• Experiencia sólida en redacción y edición de informes con atención a la entrega óptima de productos.
• Experiencia en el manejo de rendición de cuentas financieros
• Experiencia mínima de 03 años en el monitoreo de proyectos
• Experiencia dentro del Movimiento Internacional de la Cruz Roja y Media Luna Roja (deseable) Licencia de conducir (deseable)
• Conocimiento en herramientas Microsoft office y navegadores WEB (indispensable) Capacidad de trabajo en equipo.

Tareas y Responsabilidades del Puesto

• Apoyar la implementación de las actividades del proyecto, con énfasis en apoyo a la logística y componente financiero
• Apoyar en los procesos vinculados al monitoreo, evaluación y control del proyecto, en base de los requerimientos de FICR
• Elaborar planes de seguimiento y recopilación de información para la operación.
• Apoyar en los procesos vinculados al monitoreo, evaluación y control del proyecto.
• Apoyar al equipo local en el control de existencias de suministros.
• Apoyar la elaboración de informes financieros del equipo en terreno.
• Acompañamiento y soporte en las actividades previstas en el plan de acción.
• Ejecutar funciones adicionales asignadas por los coordinadores nacionales de FICR y CRP, basado en el plan de trabajo que se elabora en conjunto.
  Duración . Será por un periodo de 03 meses, con posibilidad de extensión, con base en Chiclayo o Piura con viajes frecuentes.
• Parte integral de estos términos de referencia es el Código de Conducta del Movimiento Internacional de la Cruz Roja y Media Luna Roja.

How to apply:

Se invita a las personas interesadas a remitir: Hoja de vida y carta de motivación. Es indispensable indicar en la carta su aspiración salarial, disponibilidad y tres (3) referencias laborales.

Enviar los documentos solicitados a: peru.limaregdelegation@ifrc.org indicando en la referencia: Asistente de Campo Se considerarán las postulaciones de ciudadanos peruanos o residentes extranjeros con permiso de trabajo vigente.

Fecha límite de presentación de documentos: 27.08.2017 Solo un reducido número de postulantes será contactado e invitado a participar en las evaluaciones y entrevistas; no respondemos a todos los correos.

Un autobús recién jubilado de la flota del transporte público urbano de Badajoz, reconvertido en Unidad Móvil para recorrer por las noches las calles de Freetown, refugio de niños huérfanos y de menores en situación de prostitución

Egipto, Israel, Sudán del Sur y Corea del Norte se niegan a ratificar la Convención de desarme. El tratado acaba de cumplir 20 años

Los atacameños, indígenas de Chile, quieren beneficiarse del turismo y la minería y proteger su tierra

Organization: ACDI/VOCA
Country: Honduras
Closing date: 23 Oct 2017

For over 50 years and in 145 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. ACDI/VOCA currently has approximately 44 projects in 31 countries and revenues of $151 million.

Inclusion Director, Honduras

ACDI/VOCA is seeking an Inclusion Director for the USAID-funded Honduras Transforming Market Systems (TMS) Project. The objective of TMS is to foster competitive, resilient, and inclusive market systems that provide increased economic opportunities that incorporate poor, marginalized Hondurans and reduce incentives to migrate. This position will be responsible for working across program areas to ensure activities consider social relations and issues and constraints for women, youth, and vulnerable groups at the productivity, market, and policy levels of interventions. The Inclusion Specialist will draw from project and non-project learnings, continually evaluating and adapting program activities to generate results.

Responsibilities

• Lead social analysis and other program assessments, the development of an inclusion strategy and work plan with specific and practical recommendations on how to integrate women, youth, and vulnerable populations into TMS’ program design, implementation, M&E, organizational structure, and operations.
• Support technical implementation of the activities of the annual workplan to achieve the TMS social inclusion targets on time and within budget.
• Strengthen monitoring to ensure that women and youth are tracked and appropriate response strategies are implemented; organize/support regular monitoring among local districts, partners, and service providers; analyze and report on program and project progress.
• Prepare and conduct trainings on inclusion topics for staff and beneficiaries.
• Collaborate with other staff to ensure inclusion strategies are integrated properly throughout the program areas and is in accordance with USAID’s strategy.
• Document successful program activities and methodologies for inclusion through the development of resources and training manuals that can be shared and refined through the program’s collaborate, learn and adapt (CLA) approach.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a minimum of 8 years’ progressive work experience conducting youth, gender, and/or vulnerable populations analysis and integration programming, including on-the-ground participatory approaches to research.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience on projects with similar magnitude and complexity in Honduras and/or other developing countries in the region.
• Experience working on a USAID-funded project is strongly preferred.
• Experience in facilitating trainings for staff and beneficiary populations.
• Ability to write coherent and analytical reports is required.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish, English preferred.

How to apply:

Please apply online at https://internationaljobs-acdivoca.icims.com/jobs/5075/inclusion-director%2c-honduras/job?mode=view. No phone calls please. Only finalists contacted. Women and minorities encouraged to apply. EOE.

What do we think of when we imagine an indigenous person of Latin America? What’s he or she like? In what environment do we put them? Doing what? Most likely our image includes a canoe or a cabin. A setting without cement or traffic lights. Picturing them crossing a city street is not likely to be the first thing that comes to mind. But the reality is that 49% of Latin America’s indigenous population has migrated to urban areas in recent decades. “The very idea of an indigenous urban dweller challenges our collective representation of what ‘being indigenous’ means,” World Bank social development expert Germán Freire, points out in the interview below. With the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples coming up on August 9 and the 10th-anniversary celebrations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted on September 13, 2007, the time is ripe for us to discuss this challenging issue. Question. Why did so many Latin American indigenous people migrate from their traditional lands to the cities? Response. For several reasons. In many cases, they migrated for the same reasons all Latin Americas do. The cities offer more job opportunities and access to education, health and basic services. In Peru, for example, an indigenous household has a 37% greater chance of being poor if it is in a rural area. But access to education and health seems to be the dominant factor. While primary school coverage sharply increased over the past decade, significant gaps remain, especially at the level of secondary and tertiary education. Additionally, there continue to be serious deficits in rural health services. Often only the most basic services are offered or they are offered in ways that hinder access. Indigenous lands have also come under constant pressure due to expanding agriculture frontiers and extractive industries. For example, a fifth of the Amazon region has mining potential and 20% of these areas of potential exploitation are on indigenous lands. Internal conflicts have also disproportionately affected rural indigenous communities in Guatemala, Colombia and Peru. All these factors help explain why nearly half of the indigenous population of the region resides in urban areas today. In some countries, the percentage is even higher. The urban indigenous population of Argentina is over 80%, for example.  Q. What challenges do Latin American indigenous people face when they decide to migrate to the cities? R. The situation of indigenous peoples in the cities is paradoxical because, although they are generally better off than in their native areas, they also enter the urban context under extremely unfavorable conditions. Their traditional knowledge and practices are not valued in the urban labor market, so they tend to hold poorly paid jobs in the informal sector, with all that this implies in terms of the lack of job and economic security. Once in the cities, indigenous people tend to be relegated to unsafe, unhealthy areas with fewer job opportunities, low quality services and vulnerability to natural disasters. The proportion of indigenous households located in shantytowns is double that of non-indigenous households. All of this poses a major challenge for governments and development agencies because often policies for inclusion and service delivery specifically tailored to the indigenous population were designed with rural communities in mind. The very idea of an indigenous urban dweller challenges our collective representation of what “being indigenous” means. So cities offer numerous opportunities for indigenous peoples, but the flipside of these migrations is that these peoples are exposed to new forms of exclusion and discrimination. The region must step up efforts to develop strategies to close labor, education or housing gaps, for example, without affecting these peoples’ identity or culture. A World Bank study found that a sense of dignity is essential for the success of social inclusion policies. Q. What role do indigenous women play in the urban context? R. A fundamental one. In many cases, women are pioneers in rural-urban migration processes. Migration to cities is sometimes an opportunity to free women from traditional roles and increase their autonomy, even though they face greater challenges than men. Frequently, indigenous women not only earn less than non-indigenous women, but also less than indigenous men. A Bolivian indigenous woman earns an average of 60% less than a non-indigenous woman for the same work. Clearly, they are victims of double discrimination as indigenous people and as women. Despite these gaps, indigenous women play a key role in urban environments. They are bearers of knowledge. For example, they know about traditional medicine. They are also an anchor for children, with their own culture and languages. They are businesswomen who combine aspects of their traditional economies – such as solidarity and bartering – with market aspects. But equally important is their growing participation in public life, in decision-making at the local, national and regional levels. A noteworthy example is that of the Wayúu of the Guajira Peninsula, who hold government, academic and other positions on both sides of the Colombian and Venezuelan border. Women are the axis around which all Wayúu family decisions revolve, and naturally they have taken this role with them to cities such as Riohacha or Maracaibo. Q. How can indigenous peoples contribute to urban development? R. In many ways. Indigenous peoples bring with them alternative views of social organization, organization of space, of relationships with the environment, containment strategies, knowledge of traditional medicine, forms of political participation, architectural proposals, languages, etc. This diversity greatly contributes to the resilience of the urban environment. El Alto in Bolivia is a well-known example of the potential of the city to express indigenous forms of organization and participation in government. Through Neighborhood Boards, the Aymara have not only led efforts to build and administer their urban environment but have also become key political actors at the national level. A less well-known example is in the cities of Buenos Aires and La Plata. Few people know that most of Argentina’s indigenous population is concentrated there, approximately a quarter of the national total. In La Plata, the Nam Qom Community in the Islas Malvinas neighborhood is a wonderful example of dignity and the struggle to improve their inclusion in the urban environment. With little or no outside support, this community has built its own homes, organized community spaces according to their views on solidarity and co-existence, taken collective responsibility for the feeding and care of their children and developed school and extra-curricular initiatives to preserve their language and culture, among other activities. There are many examples like these throughout Latin America but they have received so little attention that they remain largely invisible. This is precisely the major challenge in fostering their inclusion. We have limited knowledge of the needs and opportunities of the urban indigenous population since this topic was not on the region’s development agenda until very recently. Last year’s report Indigenous Latin America in the Twenty-First Century is a call for us to begin thinking about the indigenous population in terms of its diversity. The development models and analytical tools we use today to address their needs and demands do not incorporate the reality that half of the indigenous peoples of the region lives in urban environments, or the fact that there are multiple, overlapping dimensions of exclusion. It is not the same thing to be an indigenous man as it is to be an indigenous women, child or elderly person, for example. I believe that including indigenous peoples in urban development will benefit all of us. In some cities, indigenous peoples make up a considerable share of the population. They have much to contribute to the local economy, to decision-making, to identifying solutions to critical problems of our cities, such as the sustainable use of resources or citizen participation. The region’s greatest treasure is its diversity. It makes sense to include this kaleidoscope of visions and proposed solutions in the urban development of the region.

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Challenge Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America with gross national income (GNI) per capita of US$1,940 (2015). Decades of civil conflict and a series of catastrophic natural disasters have left the country lagging behind most of its neighbors in terms of economic and social indicators. Despite notable progress in poverty reduction over the last decade, much work remains, as 29.6 percent of the country’s more than six million inhabitants live in poverty; 8.3 percent in extreme poverty. Most of the poor live in rural areas, often in remote communities where access to basic services is still constrained by very limited infrastructure. Social and basic service indicators in the rural Atlantic coastal regions are significantly lower than in the rest of the country, disproportionately impacting indigenous and Afro-descendant populations. Though economic growth has been stronger than average for the Region and prudent macroeconomic management has underpinned the country’s solid economic performance, key challenges remain in reducing vulnerabilities and increasing productivity. Nicaragua ranks among the most vulnerable in terms of natural disasters and extreme climate; other major vulnerabilities include dependence on oil imports, concentration of food exports to limited countries, and the drought affecting Central America. Given the country’s low level of per capita income, higher growth rates are necessary to further reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity. Furthermore, aggregate productivity has been declining over the last decade, constraining Nicaragua’s ability to move to a higher growth equilibrium and requiring additional efforts to improve productivity. Approach Against this backdrop, the WBG approach in Nicaragua has focused on improving the delivery of basic services and strengthening competitiveness as a means to accelerate income growth. The IDA (International Development Association) lending program has helped Nicaragua raise welfare by improving access to quality basic services through scaling up of new service delivery models in health, education, social protection, and water & sanitation, particularly in areas where Nicaragua faces significant challenges linked to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WBG program also seeks to raise incomes by enhancing competitiveness and diversifying exports, deepening the impact of programs in rural infrastructure, and incorporating a focus on productivity into land and small & medium enterprise (SME) administration, as well as by ensuring greater synergies with International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) engagements in agribusiness, and in the energy and financial sectors. The WBG program also incorporates a focus on mainstreaming issues related to gender, indigenous peoples, disaster risk mitigation and climate adaptation. IDA Program Results Enhanced health services in rural and indigenous territories: Through “casas maternas,” a component of the Improving Community and Family Health Care Services Project, maternal and infant health has improved: from 2012 to 2015, the percentage of pregnant women receiving four prenatal controls increased from 50 to 73; institutional deliveries increased from 72 percent to 87 percent; and the percentage of children under age one immunized with the Pentavalent vaccine increased from 88 to 98 in targeted municipal health networks.                                                           Increased access to water & sanitation: From 2009 to 2015, over 168,000 beneficiaries of the Greater Managua Water and Sanitation (PRASMA) Project gained access to reliable water supply (16 hours per day) in urban areas, and more than 62,000 beneficiaries gained access to sanitation services. In rural areas, from 2008 to 2015, more than 68,000 beneficiaries from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRASNICA) gained access to water supply and sanitation services (of which 44,000 were in indigenous territories); and by the end of the period, women were serving as presidents or treasurers in 70 percent of the Water & Sanitation Committees involved. Land rights have been strengthened, benefitting 15 of Nicaragua’s 21 indigenous territories in the historically marginalized Atlantic regions. From 2005 to 2013, through the Land Administration Project (PRODEP), over 104,000 people from 214 communities in five major ethnic groups benefited; 18 percent of the national territory was registered and titled with support of the project. Improving roads sustainably: Through the Rural Roads Infrastructure Improvement Project, a successful, scalable model for investment and maintenance of rural roads has been implemented through the development of “módulos comunitarios de adoquines” or community participation associations focused on road construction with locally-made blocks that allow for faster, more sustainable road works while creating jobs for vulnerable communities. From 2012 to 2015, four-hundred and ten kilometers of rural roads were constructed, more than 280 Community Modules for Adoquines created, generating short-term employment for over 900 people, of which 34 percent were women. Overall, more than 9,000 short-term jobs were created, providing people with skills and the ability to look for future employment. In addition, 52 micro-enterprises were established to carry out routine maintenance of 3,200 km of rural roads. Enhanced agricultural productivity through technology adoption: With support from the Second Agricultural Technology Project, between 2005 and 2014, more than 33,000 producers adopted at least two new production and/or processing technologies; over 3,000 producers were trained in food processing, business administration and marketing; and more than 1,400 producers from 30 cooperatives produced certified seeds of basic grains. Overall, productivity indices of participating farmers (25 percent of which were women) increased an average of 16 percent, and crop production increased from 1,800 to 4,728 metric tons. Bank Group Contribution As of June 2017, the IDA portfolio in Nicaragua reached US$560.82 million in net commitments,  focusing on the sectors of water & sanitation, health, education, food security, disaster risk management, land administration, roads infrastructure and connectivity, social protection, and public financial management. From 2012 to 2016, IFC’s investments in Nicaragua have grown from 11 projects totaling US$166.9 million, to approximately US$279.4 million, including advisory services and investment projects in agribusiness (coffee, sugar, forestry), the financial sector, mining and energy (geothermal). MIGA’s guarantees more than doubled in the same period, from US$34.9 million to US$76 million, focusing on the renewable energy sector. Partners Implementation of the WBG program has benefited from an efficient division of labor among key development partners, as well as more coordinated programs among donors. Key WBG partnerships in Nicaragua, including through trust funds, are featured in: (i) the education sector, with the European Union (EU) and Global Program for Education; (ii) public financial management, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and EU; (iii) the water & sanitation sector, with Switzerland and Spain; (iv) roads and transport, with Japan; and (v) agriculture, with the Global Agricultural and Food Security Program (GAFSP) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In a recent example of collaboration, the IFC and GAFSP, together with the IDB and private firms, provided a US$30 million package of financing to farmers for the renovation of over 5,000 hectares of coffee plantations affected by coffee rust disease in Nicaragua – in this way helping the country mitigate climate change by deploying a scalable model of climate-smart renovation that can be replicated by other countries and coffee traders. Moving Forward Given the satisfactory pace of implementation, the priorities of the WBG program remain relevant and aligned to the Government’s priorities. Over the coming period, the WBG will continue to leverage its products and services to complement IDA resources and help mobilize other development financing related to the two pillars of the Country Partnership Framework:  i) improving access to quality basic services; and ii) increasing competitiveness and productivity. In particular, it will focus on building scalable programs that can attract additional resources and closely coordinate IDA, IFC and MIGA interventions, while continuing to deepen the focus on mainstreaming gender and indigenous peoples’ issues. IDA and IFC will also jointly support Nicaragua in its effort to unlock geothermal potential by mitigating risks associated with the exploration phase and helping to leverage financing for geothermal development through public private partnerships. IFC will continue its program of credit lines in the trade sector, agribusiness-finance and SME lending, while looking for opportunities in other sectors, such as higher education, where IFC can complement IDA work. MIGA will also be open to opportunities to support foreign investments in the financial sector. Beneficiaries In Water & Sanitation:   "I used to go every day at this time to my mother’s house, about 400 meters from here, to get water and use her bathroom," Jacqueline recalls. Her home is one of the 125 houses in this rural town that now has water connections. "The families are happy because they have sinks, showers and toilets" explains Angela Durand, a neighbor who coordinates the local Water & Sanitation Committee. Besides the work the Committee has done in the neighborhood, Angela is proud that the organization includes and respects local women. "Women are organized and have the capacity to manage projects and communities as well as their homes" she says. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/01/22/agua-saneamiento-comunidades-rurales Key Words Learn More Links to key related sites The web site of the World Bank for Nicaragua (www.worldbank.org/ni) offers in-depth information on all projects and programs in the country. Links to partner websites –        Government of Nicaragua –        Ministry of Finance  –        European Union Delegation in Nicaragua Multimedia VIDEO: Escuela de valores, muchos pasos hacia adelante VIDEO: Consejeros, transformando vidas en Nicaragua VIDEO: Los adoquines: un camino para terminar con la pobreza de Nicaragua – World Bank – BLOG: Going the last mile in Nicaragua: local communities pave the road to end poverty – Stephen Muzira, World Bank – BLOG: In Nicaragua, rural communities obtain visible results in access to water and sanitation