Project

Derechos de las mujeres y justicia (DEMUJeres)

2018-2023

Presentation and objectives

The five-year Women's Rights and Justice project (Derechos de las mujeres y justicia (DEMUJeres)) aims to increase the freedom, human dignity and empowerment of women, particularly indigenous women. It focuses on strengthening protection against sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) and access to justice. The project is implemented in consortium with the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) and is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.

While supporting activities at the national level, the project targets three departments severely affected by the violence: Alta Verapaz, Sololá and Chimaltenango. Given the scale and seriousness of the situation of SGBV in Guatemala, the project is based on a multidimensional approach, prioritizing three components:

1. Increasing the participation of women in the exercise of their rights, using an empowerment approach that makes women victims of SGBV subjects of law and agents of change.

• This project aims to provide women with better tools to fully exercise their rights, by strengthening the psychosocial, economic and judicial capacities of women's organizations and state support structures for victims of SGBV and by strengthening women's capacity to exercise their rights themselves. By providing local support, women's organizations will play a key role in this process of empowering victims.

2. Improving access to justice for women and indigenous women in the three departments and at the national level through support in the use of the normative framework.

• The project aims to improve victims' ability to assert their right to respect for the integrity of their person and to obtain reparation, by accompanying justice actors representing victims of SGBV through training adapted to their needs and through peer exchanges to identify best practices.

3. Raising awareness among populations in targeted communities, in particular among men, of the issues involved in the sexual and gender-based violence continuum.

• The project seeks to contribute to a change in attitudes and behaviour regarding violence, by developing awareness-raising activities on SGBV, gender equality and women's rights. The project also helps to ensure a more coordinated inter-institutional response by supporting the concerted action of the various state and community actors in the intervention areas.

Expected results

• The capacities of women's organizations and other organizations dedicated to the empowerment of indigenous women and women victims of SGBV, to better support them psychosocially, economically and judicially are strengthened.
• Women's skills to prevent SGBV and to protect and defend their right to a life free of violence are increased.
• Women in the justice system (e.g. judges, prosecutors, lawyers) and their male counterparts are better able to use the national and international normative framework applicable to SGBV experienced by women, and particularly indigenous women.
• Indigenous women, and other female victims of SGBV, benefit from better access to the services of lawyers specializing in strategic litigation.
• Local communities, and particularly men, as well as civil society organizations and public institutions are more aware of SGBV, gender equality and women's human rights.

Local partners

Financial partner

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)