Guatemala: Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 (Issued January 2025)

Foreword

For the fourth consecutive year, the Humanitarian Forum (EHP, for its acronym in Spanish) has analyzed, and quantified the humanitarian needs in Guatemala. Priority humanitarian needs continue to be derived from climatic events (drought or floods), human mobility and migration. This analysis focused on 197 municipalities (58 per cent of the country’s 340 municipalities) the areas in the Dry Corridor, country borders and migratory corridors.

The results of the analysis reveal that 2.2 million people have humanitarian needs in food, access to health services and quality water, detection and treatment of acute malnutrition, protection, shelter and personal supplies, support for children and adolescents without access to education and care for victims of gender-based violence.

Humanitarian partners are working with government counterparts to develop a joint plan to assist 1.2 million people with the most critical humanitarian needs. Among this target population are vulnerable groups - including subsistence farming families, children under 5, girls and women with specific protection needs, mixed flows of migrants and asylum seekers, migrant student community, LGBTIQ+ population1 and Indigenous Peoples. This response plan requires US$101.2 million, and appeals to donor countries, friends of Guatemala and international cooperation.

I am grateful for the work and responsibility of all EHP organizations, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs, the Red Cross movement and the private sector. I also applaud the involvement of counterpart institutions of the Government of Guatemala in the sector working groups, including the coordination from the Executive Secretariat of the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (SE-CONRED), the support of the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINEX) and the technical contributions from the Ministry of Health (MSPAS), of Agriculture (MAGA), of Education (MINEDUC), the Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security (SESAN), the Social Works of the First Lady (SOSEP), Social Welfare (SBS), the Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM) and the Guatemalan Institute of Migration (IGM).

I reaffirm the commitment to continue to support the needs of vulnerable populations in the country through coordinated work between the EHP and the Government of Guatemala guided by the spirit of the principles and standards of humanitarian action.

Miguel Barreto

Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Humanitarian Forum Team Leader