Improve Maya Women’s Access to Justice in Rural Guatemala

Project: Improve Maya Women’s Access to Justice in Rural Guatemala
Evaluation Date: March 2022
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

A project in rural Guatemala to improve Maya women’s access to justice yielded important lessons learned for all actors in this space, including: a) The importance of working vigilantly with community leaders, or alcaldía indigena, as they often determine whether cases of violence against women should be referred to the authorities, and play a key role in awareness and coordination for case management. These leaders need to be engaged meaningfully and strategically so that they, at a minimum, do not block justice processes. Some of them may even be perpetrators. b) Provision of legal support services will lead growing demand, so future projects need to establish a mechanism to respond while strengthening inter-institutional efforts to continuously provide these services. c) Survivors of gender-based violence need integrated support services throughout the process to seek justice, involving land titles, housing, childcare, income generation, and psychosocial support. Established relationships with organizations that can offer these services will help women access integrated support.

Theme: Women's empowerment, Rule of law
Project: Strengthening Democratic Participation of Maya Communities in Rural Guatemala
Evaluation Date: June 2015
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

Through the creation of a Community Broadcasters School, 28 young adults were trained, 22 of whom are still actively participating in broadcasting using the comprehensive guide produced by the project. The project expanded the transmission capacity and coverage of existing radio station Comunitaria Tzuultaq’a which in turn was able to reach a wider audience. The programme voiced community interests and gave a status of community spokespersons to the broadcasters trained.

Theme: Community activism
Project: Strengthening Democratic Participation of Maya Communities in Rural Guatemala
Evaluation Date: June 2015
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

Prior to the project, women’s representation in local governance was minimal with just one woman representative across all the 13 micro regions. There was also no possibility for women’s active participation. Forging partnerships in Guatemala with other organizations working on gender promotion resulted in Q’echi Maya women’s effective representation in both the urban and rural development councils. Following the project there are 13 women in 13 micro regions – one woman representative per micro region. They are invited council meetings and have the right to participate actively.

Theme: Community activism
Project: Youth Training for Democracy and Development
Evaluation Date: May 2012
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The collective assessments conducted in Guatemala through local situation analysis, as well as the preparation of proposals for alternative projects, has motivated the local population to become more directly involved in the local management of development. A substantial number of young beneficiaries have joined the Municipal Development Councils, the bodies responsible for decision-making and municipal policy development, and other institutions such as the Municipal Bureaus and mayoralties.

Theme: Youth engagement
Project: Youth Training for Democracy and Development
Evaluation Date: May 2012
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The project sought to strengthen democratization processes in rural areas focusing by on regions with a fragile social fabric and weak civil society. In this respect the multiplication of training opportunities provided by programme graduates through their activities in their communities, further enhanced the project’s effectiveness.

UNDEF/Guatemala
Theme: Youth engagement