Human Security
We support communities in the struggles of and attainment of their basic rights for human security including the right to health, the right to education, the right to work, the right to livelihood, and the right to freedom. Our efforts focus on supporting our partners in their struggle of basic human rights. We see community leadership and empowerment as fundamental drivers for upholding human rights by holding governments and institutions accountable to the people.
Some subthemes in this area include basic human rights such as the right to health, right to work, right to livelihood; the Guatemalan government’s response to COVID-19 and hurricane affected communities; ongoing militarization of the country; feminicide; as well as threats, intimidation and violence against human rights defenders.
Related posts about security
TAKE ACTION: Tell Canadian Authorities to Call on New Guatemalan AG to Review, Resolve and Provide Reparations for Criminalization Cases
New Attorney General and Head of Public Prosecutor's Office, Gabriel García Luna Context As of May 2026, Guatemala has a new Attorney General (AG), Gabriel García Luna, ending Consuelo Porras's tenure at the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP). Under Porras, the MP was used to criminalize justice officials, human [...]
Cooperant update: Uncovering the Mysteries of Miércoles de Chilate
By: Meara Donovan, BTS Cooperant (2026) If you’re reading this, it’s likely that miércoles de chilate doesn’t ring a bell. Since my first day in Rabinal a whole 9 months ago, I’ve heard about the famously celebrated occasion. But what is it? Where does it come from? And why is [...]
Solidarity Letter: 9th Anniversary of the Peaceful Xinka Resistance to the Escobal Mine in Casillas, Santa Rosa
Dear members of the Peaceful Xinka Resistance to the Escobal Mine in Casillas, Santa Rosa, We, the undersigned international organizations, express our deepest respect and admiration for the nine years that you have maintained the resistance camp and for the over fifteen years that you have been organizing to exercise [...]
Cooperant update: Los Encuentros Commemoration
By: Meara Donovan, BTS cooperant (2026) “Mira, ¡un perro de Río Negro!” (Look, a Río Negro dog!) “¡Y un palo de Río Negro!” (And a stick from Río Negro!) The students are joking around as our packed van pulls through the gates, inching towards the Chixoy hydroelectric dam and the [...]
2026 Dalhousie Fieldschool to Guatemala: Day 12
By Emily Moore Today we went to visit the Canadian Embassy in Guatemala City. We spent the morning preparing our questions together and going over the specific topics we wanted to discuss. After two weeks in Guatemala, there were so many things we wanted to talk about but we decided [...]
2026 Dalhousie Fieldschool to Guatemala: Day 11
By Sylvia Daigle Garcia Instead of learning on the ground, we returned to the academic side in our visit to Guatemala. We’ve seen how working and learning on the ground is vital for us to fully understand international development; however, today we were able to get the chance to remember [...]