Dominican Republic

	Progressio country representative in Santo Domingo:
	Sonia Vasquez
	Programme Coordinator in London:
	Belisario Nieto
	No. of development workers currently in post:
	12
	We have been working in Dominican Republic since 1989

Progressio has been working in the Dominican Republic since 1989, focusing on its three themes of developing a sustainable environment, combating the spread of HIV and AIDS, and promoting greater involvement of the people in political, social and economic decision-making affecting their lives. Following the military rule of most of the twentieth century, the restoration of democratic rule in 1978 enabled Progressio and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to work in the country.

Progressio has strengthened the capacity of civil society organisations to achieve political and social change to improve the quality of life and achieve greater gender equality in poor rural communities.

Specifically Progressio's development workers have:

• supported the work of partners who are arguing for the introduction of laws and regulations favourable to organic production, biodiversity and protection of natural resources
• worked alongside Dominican and Latin American partners to bring together farmers, researchers and government policy-makers in a seminar on genetically modified organisms
• raised awareness and debate on the economic, environmental and political impact of free-trade agreements and better alternatives to free trade agreements
• secured improved legislation relating to HIV and AIDS, in order to reduce the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among the general population and principally among women and young people
• supported partners to influence the country's changed constitution, so that it incorporates agroecology, sustainable agriculture, HIV and AIDS rights, and the rights of Dominican-Haitians

Challenges remain. By 2010, Progressio aims that:

• Progressio's partner organisations, of whom Fundacion Solidaridad recently won a UNDP award for best practice in gender implementation, will continue to tackle gender inequalities, ensuring that local development allows women to be part of decision-making and responds to their specific needs. Partners will incorporate and implement an anti-sexist perspective in their work. This will include training men in these, to enable them to develop a different masculinity, that for example, does not include domestic and family violence.
• In response to the high level of stigma and discrimination against Haitian people with HIV and AIDS, Progressio's partner organisations will train at least ten community groups or individuals to promote the prevention of HIV, and increase women's participation in HIV prevention activities by 20 per cent.
• In response to the bureaucratic and inconsistent international organic certification process, Progressio will support the development of organic farming and agricultural methods by partner organisations to increase locally and regionally-certified plantations.
• Following the gender audit of all Progressio projects in the Dominican Republic, Progressio will ensure an increase in the level of women's participation in local partners' decision-making procedures, allowing them equal access to benefits generated by sustainable natural resource management.