There is no information available on IDB’s website regarding the environmental and social risks related to the project and its mitigation measures. Access to project information is key for stakeholders to be able to effectively engage throughout the project cycle.
How are marginalized groups, particularly LGBTQI individuals, being incorporated in project design and implementation?
How is the IDB coordinating with the World Bank regarding the COVID-19 response in the country? Based on conversations with the IDB and the World Bank, it appears to be a disconnect and a lack of coordination between the two MDBs. One of the main risks of the lack of coordination is that it seems that the majority of the resources are going to one hospital in El Salvador (Hospital El Salvador) and there is not enough focus on the rest of the clinics and hospitals of the health system in El Salvador that are currently providing COVID-19 recovery services and vaccination efforts.
Are meaningful consultations being conducted among civil society and marginalized groups? Political instability is rising in the country and there is a high risk of reprisals against civil society.There is a growing concern regarding COVID-19 procurement processes in El Salvador. The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved a law that guarantees criminal immunity for officials and individuals who have managed the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. This law could negatively impact the capacity of the government to effectively implement the project. The government has proposed the Foreign Agents Law, which among other things, would undermine the work of the organized civil society in the country. The situation for organized civil society in El Salvador is getting worse and the risk of reprisal and retaliation remains high.
The project does not have an effective mechanism to deal with reprisals. The Ministry of Health has a mechanism where individuals can submit complaints about the project but due to the current situation in El Salvador, it is extremely dangerous for civil society to use the government’s reprisal mechanism to submit any complaint.
The IDB is financing the total project cost of $50 million.
Asociación Centro de Estudios de la Diversidad Sexual y Genérica (AMATE)
