British NGOs in peru

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BRITISH NGOs WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU THE REALITY OF PERU Peru remains blighted by high levels of inequality and social exclusion, despite achieving one of the highest rates of economic growth in the world over recent years (60.2% from 2002-2009). 34.8% of the population lives below the poverty line, and 7 of every 10 children under one are anaemic, as are 1 in every 4 pregnant women. But these national averages hide significant internal differences. In rural areas, over 60% of the population is poor, nearly three times higher than rates in urban areas (21.1%). Rural rates of chronic malnutrition in children under 5 (“stunting”) are 40.3% in rural areas, nearly three times higher than in urban areas (14.2%). Infant mortality rates are 5.3 times higher for the poorest 20% of the population than for the richest 20%, the largest difference amongst 58 countries for which there is data. In fact, the poorest regions and sectors of the population face a similar situation to that seen in Africa: Stunting in the region of Huancavelica (53.6%) is similar to Burundi, Madagascar or Malawi (53%). The population below the poverty line in Huancavelica (77.2%) is higher than in Sierra Leone (70.6%). Huancavelica´s Human Development Index (HDI) - 0.539 - is below Kenya´s - 0.541 - and the district with the lowest HDI in Peru, Yurúa (0.440), has similar levels of human development to Liberia (0.442). A higher proportion of people lack access to safe water in the region of Loreto (37.2%) than in Uganda (36%), while Huancavelica has higher rates of those without improved sanitation (40.7%) than Malawi (40%). Matriculation rates amongst indigenous girls in the Amazon (52.6%) are similar to those in Sudan (52%). Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (2009), National Statistics Agency (INEI) Report on Poverty to 2009 and National Demographic and Family Health Survey 2009 (ENDES), UN MDG Database, UNDP Human Development Report (2009) and Peru Human Development Report (2009), UNICEF The State of the World's Children (2009), Vandemoortele, J. Taking the MDGs beyond 2015: Hasten slowly (2009), Vasquéz, Chumpitaz & Jara: Indigenous Children in Peru (CARE Peru, Save the Children, et al) Alejandro Balaguer, Save the Children. IMPACT ON DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY IN THE POOREST REGIONS OF PERU Phil Borges, CARE.

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Transcript of British NGOs in peru

Page 1: British NGOs in peru

BRITISH NGOs WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

IMPACT ON DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY IN

THE POOREST REGIONS OF PERU

THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU

THE REALITY OF PERU Peru remains blighted by high levels of inequality and social exclusion, despite achieving one of thehighest rates of economic growth in the world over recent years (60.2% from 2002-2009). 34.8% of thepopulation lives below the poverty line, and 7 of every 10 children under one are anaemic, as are 1 inevery 4 pregnant women. But these national averages hide significant internal differences. In rural areas,over 60% of the population is poor, nearly three times higher than rates in urban areas (21.1%). Ruralrates of chronic malnutrition in children under 5 (“stunting”) are 40.3% in rural areas, nearly three timeshigher than in urban areas (14.2%). Infant mortality rates are 5.3 times higher for the poorest 20% of thepopulation than for the richest 20%, the largest difference amongst 58 countries for which there is data.

In fact, the poorest regions and sectors of the population face a similar situation to that seen in Africa:• Stunting in the region of Huancavelica (53.6%) is similar to Burundi, Madagascar or Malawi (53%).• The population below the poverty line in Huancavelica (77.2%) is higher than in Sierra Leone (70.6%).• Huancavelica´s Human Development Index (HDI) - 0.539 - is below Kenya´s - 0.541 - and the district

with the lowest HDI in Peru, Yurúa (0.440), has similar levels of human development to Liberia (0.442).• A higher proportion of people lack access to safe water in the region of Loreto (37.2%) than in Uganda

(36%), while Huancavelica has higher rates of those without improved sanitation (40.7%) than Malawi(40%).

• Matriculation rates amongst indigenous girls in the Amazon (52.6%) are similar to those in Sudan(52%).

Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (2009), National Statistics Agency (INEI) Report on Poverty to 2009 and National Demographic and Family Health Survey 2009

(ENDES), UN MDG Database, UNDP Human Development Report (2009) and Peru Human Development Report (2009), UNICEF The State of the World's Children(2009), Vandemoortele, J. Taking the MDGs beyond 2015: Hasten slowly (2009), Vasquéz, Chumpitaz & Jara: Indigenous Children in Peru (CARE Peru, Save theChildren, et al)

Alejandro Balaguer, Save the Children.

IMPACT ON DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY IN THE POOREST REGIONS OF PERU

Phil Borges, CARE.

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THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU

British NGOs working in Peru have adopted three main strategies in their efforts to contribute effectivelyto reducing poverty and inequality in Peru:

1.Implementing initiatives that have a significant impact on the most excluded groups.2.Influencing public policy, to improve government policy, spending and programmes.3.Cooperating on joint initiatives, to share learning and maximize impact.

Particular focus has been placed on strengthening civil society - women´s groups and movements,community associations, neighbourhood committees, voluntary agencies, churches and faith groups - andsupporting efforts to promote greater transparency, decentralisation of decision-making andconsolidation of democracy.

BRITISH NGO RESPONSE

AREAS OF ACTIONIn this bulletin, produced by some of the British NGOs working inPeru1, we highlight some examples of how interagency collaborationthrough the Latin America Partnership Programme Arrangement(LAPPA) and other mechanisms has enabled small amounts of fundingto contribute to significant impacts, in the framework of theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs). In particular, we focus on:

• Nutrition, health, education and HIV & AIDS (MDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 &6).

• Climate Change (MDG 7).• Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergencies.

Peru still suffers from high levels of chronic malnutrition, and infant and maternal mortality. While theMDG targets on access to primary school have been met (although not for indigenous children, or forrural girls at secondary level), the quality of education remains very low, with less than one in fourchildren reaching standards in reading and writing at the end of second grade and around one in eight inmaths. Figures for rural areas are even worse (11.6% and 7.1% respectively).

• A broad-based coalition of alliances and organizationsworking on child rights (Vote for Children) has beenformed to obtain concrete commitments on priorityindicators from candidates in local and nationalelections taking place in 2010 and 2011.

ACHIEVEMENTS

NUTRITION, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HIV & AIDS

• Different coalitions supported by CARE, PlanInternational, Save the Children and World Vision havesuccessfully influenced government to place a higherpriority on tackling these problems, and have providedtechnical support as well as monitoring of the quality

and quantity of public expenditure.2

1. This bulletin is an initiative of the Peru offices of Christian Aid, CARE, Progressio and Save the Children, part of the organisations who have a DFID Partnership

Programme Arrangement (PPA) with DFID, focusing on Latin America. The partnership has a specific emphasis on shared learning and collaboration.

2. These include the Child Malnutrition Initiative, the Newborn Health Collective, the Alliance for Safe and Secure Motherhood, the Florecer Network (on rural girls

and adolescents´ education), the Children, Youth and HIV / AIDS Roundtable, and the working groups for consensus-based monitoring of the three priority resultsbased budgeting programmes (the Articulated Nutrition programme, the Maternal Newborn Health programme, the Strategic Programme for Learning Results),coordinated by the National Poverty-Fighting Roundtable (MCLCP).

Jessica Wunderlich, CARE.

Alejandro Balaguer, Save the Children.

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THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU

CLIMATE CHANGE

Peru is one of the few mega diverse countries in the world: 27 of the 32 different types of climates foundon this planet can be found in Peru. It is the haven to a diversity of unique fragile ecosystems andspecies, and to 71% of the world’s tropical glaciers. But it is also one of the 10 countries most vulnerableto climate change (Tyndall Centre, 2003), and the area covered by glaciers has shrunk by a quarter overthe last 30 years.

Climate change is expected to reduce GDP by 6% by 2030, and by 20% by 2050. The poorest and mostexcluded regions and populations are least prepared to adapt to such changes, and in 21 out 25 regionsof Peru agriculture is at critical risk, particularly due to water shortages.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Results and impacts so far include:

• Several other organisations and networks have joined the MOCICC initiative, covering 10 of the mostvulnerable regions to climate change in Peru. The $10,000 contribution of British NGOs has beenmatched more than 6-fold by other funders.

• In the run-up to the local elections in 2010, regionalforums have been supported on themes of ruraldevelopment, climate change and natural resources,enabling civil society and rural communities to generateproposals and influence candidates. The process of advocacywill continue during the upcoming national elections.

• CARE and WWF, meanwhile, have been working with theEnvironment Ministry and local governments to developpilot Payment for Watershed Services initiatives inCajamarca in the North, and Cañete, south of Lima.Reforestation and agroforestry contribute to improvedlivelihoods in the upper parts of the river basin, whilesedimentation into the middle and lower parts of the basinis being reduced, and in the medium-term, peaks inseasonal rainfall patterns can be smoothed.

Cindy Krose, Progressio.

• CAFOD, Christian Aid and Progressio have signed an agreement to work together to strengthen localpartner organisations and alliances working in the area of climate change, including MOCICC, the CitizensMovement on Climate Change, which has also been supported by CARE and Oxfam GB.

Millennium Development Goals & International Commitments NGO participants Erradicate Hunger Achieve Universal Education Promote Gender Equality

Reduce Child Mortality Improve Maternal Health Combat HIV & AIDS

CARE, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision

The coalition is based on the model for target-focused pre-electoral advocacy successfully developed bythe Child Malnutrition Initiative in 2006.

These efforts have contributed to increases in public spending in social programmes, and toimprovements in key national indicators:

• Spending on the Government´s three priority Results-Based Budgeting programmes rose from $819min 2008 to $1,119m in 2010 (3.2% to 3.8% of total public spending).

• Chronic malnutrition in children under five fell from 28% in 2005 to 23.8% in 2009.• Maternal mortality fell from 185 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 103.3 in 2009.• Children reaching standards in reading rose from 15.9% in 2007 to 23.1% in 2009, and in maths from

7.2% to 13.5%.

CLIMATE CHANGE

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THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU

Other significant impacts and results include:

• Community cohesion and solidarity has been strengthened thanks to the collective building efforts.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Christian Aid and Progressio, with local partner AsociaciónCasas de la Salud, developed an innovative project promotingcollective reconstruction of housing for 16 families, usingalternative, low-cost anti-seismic technology based on localmaterials like quincha (cane stalks) and traditional buildingmethods. The project was awarded an international architectureprize in 2008, the experience was systemized, and other familiesnearby are opting to build their new houses with the sametechnologies developed.

• An advocacy coalition set up by CARE, Practical Action, localuniversities and others after the earthquake - the ‘Safe andHealthy Housing Group’ (GVSS) - has used their collectiveexperience in working with national and local government tolobby for a new rural housing programme, whereby the Housingand Construction Ministry would support safe and healthyhousing in rural areas, using anti-seismic technologies andparticipatory constructive methods developed by GVSS membersin their reconstruction programmes.

In September 2010, this was converted into a law, and approved by the Congress. Lessons and materialson promoting disaster risk reduction in schools have also been shared between CARE, Practical Action andSave the Children.

Maria Eugenia Lacarra, Progressio.

On 15 August 2007 Peru suffered an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, affecting over 600,000 people. Poorfamilies in rural and peri-urban areas in the regions of Ica, Huancavelica and the southern parts of Limawere especially hard hit, and more than 75,000 houses were destroyed or made uninhabitable. Followingthe earthquake, many NGOs worked to provide immediate humanitarian aid and to support rehabilitationand reconstruction. Housing in rural areas is particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage, due toconstruction with unreinforced adobe and other precarious materials. Prior to 2008, Governmentprogrammes to support social housing only worked in urban areas.

EMERGENCIES AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Millennium Development Goals & International Commitments NGO participants

Ensure environmental sustainability

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

CAFOD, CARE, Christian Aid, Oxfam GB, Progressio, WWF

• MOCICC successfully lobbied the Ministry of Agriculture in August 2010 to include civil societyrepresentatives in the National Climate Change Council.

• 629 hectares of agroforestry plantation and 218 hectares of forest planted in Cajamarca, with nearly250,000 trees planted, supported by CARE, WWF, Regional Government, the private sector operator ofa hydroelectric plant (CAHUA) and irrigation users in the lower part of the river basin.

• CARE, WWF and Progressio partner SER are part of a group of organisations working with regional andlocal governments in Cajamarca on subnational climate change adaptation strategies.

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CONCLUSIONS

The Governance Agenda developedby civil society in the region of Puno,with support from British NGOs

¨For us, the Christian Aid-Cafod-Progressio alliance has been critical inenabling us to start Regional Fora with Candidates, for which we havereceived $50,000 in additional funding and so expanded to 12 regions(half the country).¨ Julia Cuadros, Partner Organisation CooperAcción.

¨My children tell me: ´Dad, we now have a house.́ This has helpedmotivate them after the earthquake. They were quiet and afraid, but Ihave explained to them how buildings can withstand an earthquake.They are much calmer now and feel safe in our house, because theywatched it being built.̈ Luis Maldonado, Tepro Alto, Ica.

This document summarises some of the main coordinated actions of British NGOs in Peru. The examplesmentioned here are a snapshot of what we do in Peru, focusing in particular on where we have workedtogether to increase results and impacts. In the context of a highly unequal middle income country suchas Peru, we believe that there is still a very important role for international NGOs to catalyse andsupport the efforts of society as a whole towards greater equity. The social indicators presented on thefirst page show how the principal challenge Peru faces is ensuring that growth generates significantbenefits for all sectors of society, particularly for the most excluded groups, who currently face similarindicators of deprivation and violation of economic, social and cultural rights as the poorest countries inAfrica.

Three quarters of the world’s approximately 1.3bn poor people now live in middle income countries,many of which face similar problems of inequality to Peru. We believe that there are lessons from effortsto promote pro-poor political change that the British NGOs have been supporting in Peru that are highlyrelevant to efforts to tackle inequality and exclusion elsewhere in the world. Those efforts will requireactive collaboration amongst the NGO and donor community, to ensure shared learning and increasedcost-effectiveness of the results and impacts of our work. This has been our experience in Peru over thelast three years; we are firmly convinced such collaboration will need to continue if we are to remainrelevant to efforts to promote a fairer, more equal Peru in future years, and we are determined to worktogether to achieve this.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF BRITISH NGOs TO TACKLING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN PERU

¨…parents have bring ancestral knowledge to us...children are learningabout their culture, they are learning to love their culture…¨ ¨…childrenare happy to learn about their own culture…¨ Teachers´ Group Interview,Ayacucho.

3. Sumner, A; Global poverty and the new bottom billion: Three-quarters of the World’s poor live in middle-income countries, Institute of Development Studies,

September 2010 - http://www.ids.ac.uk/download.cfm?objectid=F1D7952B-DE56-E3B4-B7282EC89A733915.

Millennium Development Goals & International Commitments NGO participants

Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop a Global Partnership for

Development

Hyogo Framework for Action (2001-2015)

CARE , Christian Aid,Practical Action, Progressio,Save the Children

• GVSS members have built 3,800 houses in rural areas, using quincha and reinforced adobe, with afurther 200 under construction.

• The Housing Ministry has announced the financing of 20,000 grants for housing for 2011, after thepassing of the Rural Housing Law.

• The Education Ministry launched a teachers´ manual on Risk Reduction in Schools in 2009.