Ruta, Unidad Regional de Asistencia Técnica, Boletín Informativo

PUBLICATIONS

Good practices for mainstreaming gender perspective

The most valuable experiences of the World Bank’s PROGENIAL project are documented in the book “Good Practices in Mainstreaming Gender Perspective in Projects financed by the World Bank in Central America”, which RUTA and the World Bank published in July of this year. PROGENIAL was executed during the period 2003-2006 and its systematization document describes eleven cases or independent mainstreaming experiences in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. The 188-page book is accompanied by a CD describing the implementation process of these experiences and contains important annexes, as well as the introduction and the results of each experience summarized in the book. The purpose of this document is to present the practical aspects of mainstreaming gender concepts in projects under execution, both at the administrative level and in the field. The book is part of the Series of RUTA Publications and is presented as Systematization Document Nº 23

Other seven publications under preparation on Engines of Growth, the Sector-Wide Approach and the impacts of DR-CAFTA

RUTA and several of its partner agencies are preparing another seven publications on topics of interest to the Central American region, which will be ready in September. Two of these examine the impacts of the Free Trade Agreement between Central America and the United States (DR-CAFTA) on agriculture, rural development and on small rural enterprises. One is a working document entitled “Los Impactos del DR -CAFTA en el sector Rural: Reflexiones de los Economistas”, and the other is a Spanish version of a study prepared by IFPRI on “The Impact of CAFTA on Agriculture and the Rural Sector in the Central American Countries”.

Another two publications will be the Spanish and English versions of the study “The Role of the Sector-Wide Approach to Sustainable Rural Development in Central America, a strategic framework for RUTA’s support”. This study was funded jointly by RUTA, DFID and IFAD and also includes some analysis of experiences in Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, countries that are at different stages in the application of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP).

RUTA and the World Bank are also preparing the Spanish versions of three publications containing case studies on engines of growth in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The series is entitled “Engines of Sustainable Rural Growth and Poverty Reduction in Central America”, and presents the cases of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in separate editions. These books will also be available in September of this year.

RUTA’s actions in black and white

In May of this year, RUTA also published various documents summarizing its activities and its current work plan. The 2006-2007 Work Program, two newsletters “In Touch with RUTA” and an information brochure, were among the materials published to maintain governments and our partner agencies informed about its activities in Central America.