Final Evaluation: Innovating and Scaling Proven Model to Improve Maya Women's Access to Justice and End Violence Against Women in Rural Guatemala (Guatemala)

Location: Guatemala 

Grantee: Women’s Justice Initiative / Iniciativa de los Derechos de la Mujer

Grant period: 15 May 2021-15 August 2024

Grant amount: USD 498,754

Authors/editors: Paula Kantor, Alejandra González, Ingrid Son and Aviva Stein

Publication year: 2024

Women’s Justice Initiative with the support of the UN Trust Fund implemented the project “Innovating and scaling proven model to improve Maya women's access to justice and end violence against women in rural Guatemala”from May 2021 to August 2024. The project’s main objective was to ameliorate women’s and girls’ access to justice concerning gender-based violence in 24 rural communities in the municipalities of San Martín Jilotepeque and San José Poaquil. A majority of the population in these municipalities is Maya Kaqchikel, and the project addressed the geographic, linguistic and economic barriers rooted in the structural racism and sexist practices they face, hindering their access to justice. 

These interventions were guided by:

• an ecological model to approaching violence against women and girls (VAW/G), from the different (individual, familial, community and institutional) levels that affect their capacity to access justice; 
• accessible legal services offered in Kaqchikel language and facilitated by trained members of the community;
• women’s legal empowerment through rights-based programmes; and 
• capacity development of local service providers and community actors to enhance responses to VAW/G. 

The final evaluation found an increase in the target population’s legal literacy and recognition of violence against women and girls, as well as a high sustainability and cultural relevance of the project, although continued improvement in public services remains a challenge.

Main findings of the evaluation:

• The project achieved or exceeded 64% of its goals. For instance, 96% of women who attended legal literacy workshops showed an increase in knowledge about their rights relevant to VAW/G and 91% said they felt entitled to live free from violence. Additionally, participants reported experiencing increased self-esteem and perceived progress in collective recognition of VAW/G.
• The project directly benefited 3,333 Kaqchikel Mayan women, including 1,747 who participated in legal literacy workshops, 1,549 who received legal services as survivors of violence, and 44 who were trained as community advisors.
• The project successfully adapted to the social, political, economic and geographical contexts in which it operated.
• Among the remaining challenges, survivors of VAW/G perceived that: there is still room for improvement in public officials’ and police attitudes, skills and expertise to address the issue; the project struggled to engage key public actors, as public officials’ presence in remote areas is limited; and some Mayan women trained as community advisors suffered from stigmatization and lack of support from their communities. 
• Sustainability of the results is high due to the solid strategies used, including continuing workshops for public officials.