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El Salvador is a tiny but densely populated nation in which the gap between the poor majority and the rich elite is huge. The country suffered through years of bitter civil war (1980-1992). It is highly susceptible to natural disasters and is one of the most violent countries in the world.
We support communities to become resilient in the face of climate change and conflict, including gang, gender and institutional violence.
Our programme adopts a rights-based approach, addressing the structural causes of vulnerability and exclusion, not just the symptoms. It is also conflict-sensitive and promotes a 'do no harm' approach.
We aim to build the capacity of partners and communities so they have a better understanding of fiscal justice, resilience, inequality and violence prevention issues, and how they apply directly to people’s lives. Our partners also advocate for policy change on issues like climate change and sustainability.
We work with poor families in rural, semi-urban and urban communities who are marginalised, landless or living at subsistence level – prioritising women, youth and ethnic groups who have historically been excluded and discriminated against.
Our Aims
- To help communities to be resilient to inequality and poverty.
- To build resilience to earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, landslides, droughts and volcanic eruptions.
- To address inequality by advocating for tax justice, transparency and accountability, and promoting the human rights of vulnerable groups.
- To tackle violence by demanding the protection of vulnerable groups by the government.
In El Salvador we work on...
Our partners advocate for policy change at the government level on issues like climate change, tax justice, accountability, women's rights and tackling violence, building peace.
Key achievements
ORMUSA has taught me to speak in public and with state institution staff. Now I can better advise young women in my community about sexual and reproductive health issues that they do not dare talk to their mums about. And I can better coordinate with the Ministry of Health promoter who visits my community.
Our programmes
Irish Aid governance programme grant, 2017-21
In 2017, Christian Aid Ireland began a new five-year funding partnership with Irish Aid – the Irish government’s development agency. El Salvador is involved in three of the programme's key objectives:
- participation, accountable governance and human rights
- tackling violence and building peace
- women’s empowerment and gender equality
EU reproductive health rights project
Funded by the European Union, the project aims to secure improved sexual and reproductive health for vulnerable women and girls in Central America living in poverty and in experiencing violence, including indigenous and marginalised women.
Adapting to climate change
The 'knowledge management and good practices for adaptation to climate change' project in Central America seeks to consolidate the capacity of civil society organisations and local populations. It aims to improve technical knowledge about climate change, and complement this with local knowledge.
