Project profile — Women's Rights and Gender-Sensitive Justice in Guatemala

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased participation of women, particularly Indigenous women, from the Departments of Alta Verapaz, Sololá and Chimaltenango in the exercise of their rights for a violence free life; (2) improved services to women victims of violence and sexual violence by targeted justice system actors; and (3) increased respect for women's human rights and integrity by men, local public institutions and civil society organizations.

Results achieved through March 2022 include: (1) 5,162 people who directly participated in 414 activities on sexual and gender-based violence; (2) supported partner organizations in carrying out communication campaigns. These campaigns informed more than 485,000 people; (3) supported 12 local social and women's organizations and four victim referral networks in the three departments and the capital; (4) provided psychosocial support services to 608 indigenous women and girls who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. In addition, 544 of them learned economic self-sufficiency; (5) facilitated increased knowledge of 548 indigenous women and girls regarding their rights and access to justice; (6) provided legal assistance services to 503 indigenous women and girls who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; (7) obtained two precedent-setting court convictions in cases of sexual violence against indigenous girls committed by teachers in the public education system The perpetrators were sentenced to 38 years and 27 years in prison respectively; (8) trained 267 people (221 of whom were women) to actively participate in the justice process. This include to learn the legal norms applicable to cases of gender-based violence, and to sensitize them to the barriers faced by indigenous women in accessing justice; and (9) engaged 1028 people, including 747 women, in advocacy and learning activities.