Final Evaluation: Mujeres y niñas mayas conscientes, activas y propositivas en la prevención y desnaturalización de las violencias y el femicidio | Mayan women and girls conscious, active and propositional in the prevention and de-naturalization of violence and femicide

Location: Guatemala 

Grantee: Movimiento de mujeres indígenas TZUNUNIJA/IXTZUNUN  

Grant period: 1 January 2020 - 31 March 2023 

Grant amount: USD 974,667 

Authors/editors: Andrea Romero Flores, Susana Estrada Gutiérrez, Claudia Say Chávez 

Publication year: 2023 

The Movimiento de mujeres indígenas TZUNUNIJA/IXTZUNUN implemented the “Mayan women and girls conscious, active and propositional in the prevention and de-naturalization of violence and femicide” project from January 2020 to March 2023. The project aimed to end the diverse forms of violence affecting Indigenous women and girls and empower them to demand, enjoy and protect their human rights. Focusing on the Maya and Garifuna ethnic groups, the project aimed to improve the justice system by developing tools to prevent and respond to specific forms of violence affecting Indigenous women and increasing the visibility of the issue. The project objectives included: 

• building the capacity of key actors involved in preventing and solving cases of violence against women and girls;
• promoting access to essential services for survivors of violence; 
• providing targeted training on ending violence against women and girls as well as international regulatory standards; and
• building an advocacy strategy to facilitate an all-encompassing debate to encourage government to adopt effective preventive measures. 

The final evaluation found that the project contributed to an effective engagement with Indigenous authorities and helped to make the Guatemalan feminist movement visible to Indigenous women and girls advocating for women’s rights. 

Main findings of the evaluation:  

• The project contributed to an effective engagement with Indigenous authorities, a key milestone for the feminist movement in Guatemala. Indigenous authorities now acknowledge their role in preventing violence against women and girls. 
• Engagement with the justice system was less effective because socio-political factors cause a high staff turnover in public offices, and institutional racism is persistent and rampant in most public offices. The evaluation calls for a continuation of activities to build capacities in every batch of new public officers arriving in municipalities.
• The project helped to make visible the Guatemalan feminist movement to Indigenous women and girls who are actively advocating for the protection of women’s rights and the prevention of all types of violence against women and girls, particularly against Indigenous women.