Germinated learnings.
Annual report 2022
Time to take care of the crop.
In 2022, Acento celebrated its third year of operations. During this year we published our second open call, expanded our relationship with more local organizing processes, and completed our operational and organizational models.
We also observed that the aftermath of the pandemic continues to affect the organizations, especially in the recovery of work dynamics, access to resources, and the psycho-emotional aspects of the work teams. This situation is aggravated by the persistence of high levels of violence and human rights crises in several territories. This has a significant impact on the work of human rights defenders as well as on their physical and emotional health.
Click on the video and listen the testimony of: Observatorio de Violencias contra las Mujeres, Guerrero
We also note that the organizations are still facing obstacles to have access to resources to be able to work locally. Besides, this situation is linked to the excessive requirements of the fiscal authority, particularly for organizations with little administrative infrastructure; legal and notarial processes costs; lack of reliable and accessible information on the fiscal and legal obligations of organizations; decrease in public resources and philanthropy, among others.
In spite of everything, we have had the opportunity to witness creative efforts to keep organizational processes alive, as well as the new growths and their fruitful work. We also bear in mind the decriminalization of abortion for women and pregnant women in some states; community organization to clean up their rivers by exercising their de facto right to water and sanitation; the suspension of the progress of extractive projects and industries that threaten the right to a healthy environment and territory of communities, as well as the families of missing persons who push for justice and memory processes for their cases.
Throughout 2022 we confirmed the importance of strengthening the human rights movement considering the entire local diversity that takes place in communities, neighborhoods, municipalities, towns and regions. We also reaffirmed our commitment to contribute to the recognition of the richness of their invaluable and creative contributions to safeguard life and dignity of every person, peoples ‘autonomy and democratic processes. We are still figuring out how to execute a philanthropy allied to these transformative initiatives that can make substantial contributions. We have a long way to go, but we are already witnessing the first results.
In the following pages, we share part of this journey with you.
New growths of local work
In 2022, we increased the number of partners with whom we collaborate. During this period and through our open call, we managed to increase the number of participatory processes to which we contribute.
groups and organizations with which we collaborate as partners.
states of Mexico where our partners carry out their work.
visits made by the Acento’s team to learn first-hand about the work of our partners.
Our second open call was aimed at groups and organizations from all the states of Mexico (except Mexico City), that are doing local work in favor of human rights and that have huge difficulties to have access to economic contributions from other sources.
In this year we received a total of 403 applications from 29 states. We were able to incorporate 16 groups and organizations within the total number of partners with whom we have an open collaboration. All of them carry out outstanding human rights work for their communities, such as restorative justice, peace building, water and territory defense, enforced disappearances, labor rights, women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community.
Click on the video and listen the testimony of: La Paz Es Diversa A.C.
Total number of partners we collaborated with in 2022:
received USD 10,000 for 12 months.
organizations continued with the funding granted since 2021 within the framework of an 18-month partnership. We are actively pursuing support and strengthening actions for these partners.
Thematic areas of work
Gender equality and women’s rights
Indigenous peoples’ rights
Human mobility (migration)
Serious human rights violations
Water and healthy environment
Participatory democracy
Rights of disabled persons
Access to justice and peace building
LGBTQ+ rights
Children’s rights
Labor rights
Community and alternative communication
Populations in vulnerable situations
States where partners work:
Preparing for the next harvest
As part of our accompaniment model and additionally to the resources provided to the organizations, we carry out activities to strengthen their strategies and organizations. In 2022:
trainings were carried out.
partners were supported with training processes.
partners received technical support.
informative talks and workshops were organized for all partners by Acento.
Regarding training processes, we developed a model in which organizations identify the type of training they require and with whom they wish to carry it out, while at the same time we offer a catalog of opportunities in which they are free to participate.
In relation to technical accompaniment, we proceeded based on the needs identified by the groups and organizations. We provide them with options from so they can choose with whom and how to work. During this period, the focus of a significant number of partners was on the process of obtaining or strengthening their status as “authorized grantees” (included in Art 69 of Mexican Tax Code and it is similar to the U.S.A. 501 C3 Tax Code) and establishing themselves as civil associations. Other relevant topics for organizations were those related to psychosocial support, planning and evaluation processes, conflict resolution, tax and accounting advice, review of internal processes, technical improvements to their work models, among others.
Strengthening the roots.
In 2022, we formalized a general, flexible and multi-year support financing model, which goes hand in hand with a close and strategic accompaniment, as well as a genuine interest in learning from the partners’ work experiences and the challenges they face in their local contexts.
The trust and communication we want to develop is based on needs identification that we can address with the resources that we offer from our strengthening area. The strengthening offer is based on the partners’ needs and is co-designed with them in order to offer a response the can be the best match possible in every case. In accordance with this relationship model, our financial and capacity building contributions for our partners are based on the certainty and confidence that they are the experts in their contexts and organizations, and that they will make the best decisions on how to use them to advance towards their goals.
Broadly speaking, we have found -in numerous cases- that this relationship and funding model contributes to strengthening the autonomy and self-confidence of groups and organizations, as well as to strategically model their objectives and having diverse resources to find creative ways to achieve them.
Specifically, we have found evidence that general, flexible and multi-year funding helps to keep the organization alive, to make medium and long-term strategic decisions and to strengthen vulnerable aspects of their organization. This type of funding also allows them to have resources to implement actions in the context of violence in which most organizations work; for example, for self-care actions, reinforcement of security strategies and psychosocial support.
It has been a challenge to generate mechanisms to ensure financial and strengthening resources reach organizations with less infrastructure. However, it is also an imperative need to strengthen those who are driving changes towards a horizon of social justice in a highly centralized country, but with very clear needs at the local level.
Click on the video and listen the testimony of: Familias y Retos Extraordinarios
Finances.
Click on the video and listen the testimony of: MUAFRO
Walking through the Furrows.
In light of the worrisome crisis of violence and human rights violations that we face in Mexico, the work of human rights defenders is crucial to promote progress, stop setbacks and resist continuous violations. They have become one of the few options to imagine and generate better living conditions in our country. We respect and learn from their struggles through resistance, collective organization, peace building and protest actions, from the body and the territory, and we continually recognize and appreciate their efforts to advance in guaranteeing justice and dignity for all people who live and transit through this country.
These organized actions are more relevant when they are carried out at the local level, side by side with the most direct victims, imagining new ways of possible and dignified futures, and generating spaces for collective care in view of the overwhelming reality.
In Acento we are committed to the diversity of these struggles, we recognize the impact of their contribution, not only in their immediate context and in the targeted populations, but also as a wave that spreads throughout the different regions of the country. Our work is committed to making their journey a little easier.
