Latin America and Caribbean Learning and Rapid Response (LACLEARN)

Challenge

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is currently seeing the largest share of declines in democracy-focused Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout LAC, democratic backsliding has led to weakened institutions, increased corruption, and full democratic crisis. Instability, conflict, crime, and violence threaten the development of many LAC countries. If not addressed, these factors will impede the U.S. Government efforts to promote inclusive growth, reduce poverty, bolster resilience, and strengthen democracy throughout the region.

Solution

Making Cents International, in a joint venture with our partner Development Professionals, Inc., is supporting USAID’s LAC Bureau through the LACLEARN Task Order, awarded under the Analytical Services IV IDIQ, to improve USAID’s Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) work in LAC. Through state-of-the-art, analytical work, assessments, research, and special studies; results management support; and training, LACLEARN contributes to sector learning in the region and build an evidence base for effective programming. The project also conducts targeted short-term technical and analytical activities in transition environments that require rapid response programming support until other funds, mechanisms, and actors can be mobilized. These activities aim to advance stability and social inclusion in LAC by supporting stronger governance, democratic practices and values, and safer communities for citizens.

Training and dissemination of relevant learning and evidence through a clear learning agenda, networks, and communities of practice is a key element of our work throughout the project. The rapid response component supports USAID/LAC with analytical services by identifying and recruiting experts for analytical tasks, selecting partner organizations for grants supporting technical activities, and facilitating a collaborative and interactive process of scenario planning and transition deployment planning.

To date, we have developed a DRG Learning Agenda for the LAC Region, conducted a faith-based organization (FBO) assessment in Jamaica focused on at-risk youth, carried out a violence against women and impunity assessment with completed country case studies in Jamaica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico and case studies in progress in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, and in Haiti. These case studies focus on gangs, migrant status, and victims of human trafficking. On behalf of USAID/Haiti, LACLEARN is conducting assessments on citizen security, criminal dynamics, and rule of law, and has implemented an extortion study in Central America’s Northern Triangle to provide USAID with comprehensive understanding of extortion and its impacts in the region along with recommendations to address it. On behalf of USAID/Honduras, we have implemented USAID’s Conflict Assessment Framework (CAF) 2.0 and piloted a new Assessing Dynamics of Violence Addendum which comprise the new Violence and Conflict Assessment Framework (VCAF). Other activities under LACLEARN include a cross sectoral youth assessment to provide USAID/Dominican Republic with ideas and recommendations to more meaningfully engage with the private sector, national, and local government to support youth services.

LACLEARN has also launched a LAC Evidence Helpdesk to support USAID staff working on DRG and citizen security issues, accessing and using existing evidence. After receiving a request from a USAID staff member, LACLEARN will deliver resources and briefs summarizing existing evidence. The Helpdesk has responded to requests on the relationship between democratic backsliding and migration in Central America, the penitentiary economy in LAC, best practices in reintegration of youth following incarceration, and digital interventions related to migration.