Nicaragua 2021

Universal Rights

Preserving Historical Memory and Generating Awareness on Victims of Human Rights Violations

$65,000

To generate greater national and international awareness on the victims of politically motivated violence. The organization will generate digital content featuring the profiles of victims and disseminate this through a web platform and social media channels. It will also carry out virtual and in-person cultural events, and produce a podcast series to disseminate a message of non-repetition of violence and the need for transitional justice. It will also incorporate organizational and technical capacity building activities to strengthen the organization.

 

Democratic Norms, Ideas and Values

Promoting Strategic Analysis in Support of a Democratic Transition

$149,268

To promote strategic analysis and understanding of the current trends and challenges to a democratic transition. The grantee will produce and circulate specialized reports and a monthly publication assessing the current efforts to democratize Nicaragua, including the actors involved and dynamics that may impact a successful transition to democracy. It will organize forums to discuss the publications with civil society leaders, independent media, and human rights defenders. The documents will be widely disseminated on social media to expand their reach.

 

Citizen Participation and Inclusion

Promoting Greater Inclusion of the Nicaraguan Diaspora in Pro-Democracy Platforms

$47,000

To promote greater inclusion of the Costa Rica-based Nicaraguan diaspora and its political priorities in the leading pro-democracy platforms in Nicaragua. The organization will gather critical information on the principal demands of the Nicaraguan diaspora and discuss and disseminate the information gathered. It will also work closely with diverse sectors of the Nicaraguan diaspora to strengthen their capacity to develop political proposals and ensure that formal and informal mechanisms of communication allow for their consideration in the political agenda of pro-democracy platforms.

 

Universal Rights

Promoting Greater Access to Information through Breaking News Coverage

$49,332

To provide greater access to information and support greater freedom of expression. The organization will offer daily news coverage of the latest political, social, economic, and human rights developments, and disseminate its digital and multimedia products through its various online platforms. It will organize a debate series with leading public figures and civil society leaders which it will stream through social media channels.

 

Democratic Governance

Promoting Citizen Participation in Nicaragua’s Electoral Process

$90,000

To promote citizen participation in the pre and post presidential electoral process. In the lead up to the November 2021 Presidential elections, the organization will carry out a digital get out to vote campaign focused promoting free and fair elections, reporting voting rights violations, and encouraging citizens to get involved in the process and vote on election day. Post-elections, if the elections are free and fair, the campaign will focus on demanding the winners to fulfill campaign promises.

 

Universal Rights

Covering Elections in a Closed Media Environment

$100,000

To provide independent news and analysis of national and local elections. The grantee will create a microsite on its website dedicated to national elections in 2021 and municipal elections in 2022. It will produce 350 articles on the electoral process and the election outcomes and publish interviews with political and civil society actors, such as political analysts, election experts, and representatives of international organizations. The grantee will publish profiles of the candidates and analyze their campaign promises and governing plans.

 

Universal Rights

Protecting Freedom of Religion and Belief through Documentation and Advocacy

$130,000

To strengthen the capacity of civil society to identify, document, and report on cases of Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) violations. The organization will train a local group of trusted civil society contacts on how to systematically document FoRB violations. The organization will then use this information to produce briefings and reports which it will then share with regional and international rights bodies to generate greater awareness on rights violations against communities of faith.

 

Universal Rights

Supporting Nicaraguan Human Rights Defenders and Organizations

$52,000

To provide support to Nicaraguan human rights defenders who are victims of political repression. The organization will continue to build the capacity of psychologists to provide psychosocial assistance to victims of political repression in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It will also facilitate group and individual therapy sessions to victims of torture and other forms of repression to strengthen resilience. Finally, it will build the capacity of Nicaraguan civil society on digital communications and creating content on social media.

 

Democratic Governance

Strengthening Citizen Participation in Electoral Processes

$70,000

To strengthen citizen participation in electoral processes. The organization will build the capacity of youth and women leaders on electoral participation and carry out observation initiatives in various communities. The organization will produce a report on the electoral process, disseminating its findings. It will also continue to document rights violations in vulnerable communities and to provide victims with legal support.

 

Universal Rights

Strengthening Journalistic Coverage of Elections

$124,928

To promote greater access to information about upcoming electoral processes through investigative journalism. The organization will run a digital media outlet to produce weekly investigative reports on salient issues related to the presidential and municipal electoral processes, as well as human rights, and corruption issues in Nicaragua and Central America.

 

Citizen Participation and Inclusion

Strengthening the Leadership Skills and Civic Values of Nicaraguan Youth

$51,470

To build the capacity of youth on leadership, civic values, and strategic thinking and analysis. The organization will offer a leadership formation program to exiled Nicaraguan youth to strengthen their understanding of human right norms and democratic political systems. It will then organize a three-phase leadership formation program that will include a debate series as well as a citizen electoral observation exercise during Costa Rica’s February 2022 national elections.

 

Citizen Participation and Inclusion

Strengthening Democratic Values and Building the Capacity of Nicaraguan Youth

$80,000

To strengthen democratic values, socio-political analysis, and build a culture of dialogue and conflict resolution among Nicaraguan youth in exile. The organization will carry out informational sessions for youth on democratic transitions and transitional justice, and conduct capacity-building sessions on conflict resolution. It will also carry out another virtual training session for youth civil society leaders to strengthen their socio-political analysis.

 

Democratic Norms, Ideas and Values

Strengthening Leadership Capacity and Citizen Participation among Youth

$130,000

To build the capacity of Nicaraguan youth on citizen participation, leadership, the environment, and democracy. The organization will offer workshop sessions on issues of human rights, the environment, citizen participation, and rule of law, among others, tailored to youth in five rural communities. It will also produce and disseminate a guidebook on best practices, and further consolidate and expand a national network that will include and connect participants with likeminded youth in Nicaragua and Latin America. The organization will provide youth with support to carry out community initiatives in defense of the environment.

 

Universal Rights

Providing Nicaraguans with Accurate, Independent Information

$150,000

To promote freedom of information by providing independent news coverage of the struggle for a democratic transition in Nicaragua. Using different multimedia formats, the grantee will report on human rights violations, electoral processes, and the actions of the pro-democracy movement to advance a democratic transition in the country. Additionally, the group will conduct in-depth reporting and analysis on issues of corruption, transparency, and human rights.

 

Universal Rights

Strengthening Capacity on Human Rights Documentation

$190,000

To strengthen the documentation capacity of Nicaraguan human rights groups as a mechanism to protect victims’ rights. The organization will train members of a coalition of human rights groups to document and analyze the dynamics of violence that took place in various Nicaraguan municipalities during the height of the 2018 political crisis. With the data collected, the organization will help its partners assess the results and continue to advocate for a process of transitional justice in Nicaragua.