PASOC II is the second phase of the program Participation of Civil Society, initiated in 2004. The program was originally designed to strengthen the participation of civil society in the implementation of the Guatemalan Peace Accords and promote citizen participation in the democratic process. The Peace Accords contain a large number of challenges for the Guatemalan society and represent opportunities for transformation of the society and the prevention of armed conflicts in the future.

The current second phase of PASOC II (2007-2010) seeks to develop alliances between the State of Guatemala and civil society organizations working in the following thematic areas:

1. Elimination of Racism and Discrimination
2. Access to Justice
3. Promotion of Transparency and Social Audit

The Program aims at stimulating debates and fortifying the capacity of civil society on a local and national level. Based on the pledges of the Guatemalan Government to construct a pluralist and socially inclusive state, our work relies on a participative strategy in which the comments and initiatives of civil society organizations on different levels will be connected with the policies of corresponding state institutions.

It is our task to develop alliances on both the national and the local level, linking organizations that have the ability and the experience in encouraging and implementing public policies in the three topical areas. Within each topic PASOC will identify the relevant processes in the nation and the more suitable institutions agenda to implement and give sustainability to such processes. 

On each topic, the program requested proposals on behalf of the state institutions in order to approach pending tasks and challenges according to the Peace Agreements and State reforms agreement in which civil society will be able to contribute. 

On the subject of Elimination of Racism and Discrimination, the ‘Agreement on Identity and Right of the Indigenous Peoples’ still leaves many challenges and responds to the Second International Decade of the Indigenous Peoples of the World, declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations. State institutions which have committed to work with civil society organizations and that have suggested concrete work agendas, include the Presidential Commission against Discrimination and Racism (CODISRA), the Inter-institutional Indigenous Coordinator (IIC), the Ministry of Education the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

The subject Access to Justice contains 3 fundamental dimensions: alternate methods of conflict resolution, official justice system and indigenous peoples’ own juridical system.  State institutions that have committed themselves to collaborate with civil society organizations on the subject include the Judicial Organism, the Public Penal Defense Institute, and the Public Ministry. 

In the Transparency and Social Audit subject, state institutions that will be working with civil society organizations include the Secretariat of Planning and Programming (SEGEPLAN) and the Presidential Committee for Transparency (PCT).

On the national level, it is expected that the program will contribute with agendas of key state institutions, as well as the legislative agenda.  It is hoped, on a local level, to develop a constructive dynamic between civil society, development councils on a municipal and province level, as well as municipalities and provincial governments.

Reference framework

Although the compliance with the 1996 Peace Accords in Guatemala is mainly a challenge to state powers, civil society plays a significant role to secure the implementation and advocate towards the authorities to achieve necessary initiatives. PASOC wishes to support these initiatives and considers as reference framework the following accords and recommendations:

1. Accord on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society
2. Accord on the Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples
3. Recommendations of the Commission to Strengthen the Rule of Law
4. Recommendations of the Commission of Historical Clarification (Truth Commission)

Internally within UNDP Guatemala, PASOC is part of the thematic area Democratic Governance with permanent interaction with the programs Dignification and Psychosocial Support for Victims of the Armed Conflict (DIGAP), Democratic Dialogue, and its sub-program Multi Party Dialogue.