Women’s Rights: Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace

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Women’s Rights: Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace

Implementations

Women’s Rights – 1997

In response to stipulations from the Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects and the Agrarian Situation, the Follow-up Commission established a Coordinating Commission for the Women’s Forum on 21 May 1997.1 The Women’s Forum was then formally established on 12 November.2

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/51/936), June 30, 1997.
  2. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/52/757), February 4, 1998.

Women’s Rights – 1998

The Office of the First Lady coordinated with the National Office for Women’s Affairs and representatives from other women’s organizations to create the National Policy for the Promotion and Development of Guatemalan Women and the Equal Opportunities Plan, 1997-2001, which they submitted to the Government for implementation.3

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/53/421), September 28, 1998.

Women’s Rights – 1999

The Women’s Forum incorporated representatives from diverse linguistic and ethnic communities in its ongoing effort to make a unified push for equal rights and equal opportunities for women in Guatemala. The Government, however, was slow to change and neglected to review draft legislation that would protect women against discrimination in the labor market.4

Consistent with obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, Government decree number 7-99 of 9 March 1999 enacted protections for the dignity and comprehensive advancement of Women. Decrees 29-99 and 80-98 also reformed the Civil Code to improve gender equality.5

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/54/526), November 11, 1999.
  2. “Tenth Report on Human Rights of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala,” United Nations General Assembly (A/54/688), December 21, 1999.

Women’s Rights – 2000

Some locally-based women’s groups formed parallel to the Coordinating Commission for the Women’s Forum, gained legitimacy with local power structures, and had a tangible influence on policy decisions. The Presidential Secretariat for Women was established to advise and coordinate policies regarding protections and advancements for women.6

A scholarship program for girls in rural areas was established.7

Guatemala became signatory to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in September 2000.8

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/55/175), July 26, 2000.
  2. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/55/973), June 1, 2001.
  3. “Twelfth Report on Human Rights of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala,” United Nations General Assembly (A/56/273), August 8, 2001.

Women’s Rights – 2001

The Congress has yet to reform the labor code to protect women’s right to work. There are no legal protections against sexual harassment or discrimination against working mothers.1

The Presidential Secretariat for Women created the National Policy for the Promotion and Advancement of Guatemalan Women: Equal Opportunity Plan 2001-2006.9 Ministers and departmental governors took important steps to implement the policy.10

Guatemala ratified the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.11

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/55/973), June 1, 2001.
  2. Ibid.
  3. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/55/1003), July 10, 2002.
  4. “Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women in the Context of the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals,” United Nations Economic and Social Council (E/2010/60), May 7, 2010.

Women’s Rights – 2002

Proposed changes to the labor code to protect women’s rights were not found this year.12

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/58/267), August 11, 2003.

Women’s Rights – 2003

The legal code was modified to make gender discrimination illegal this year. Domestic violence, unequal opportunities, and political under-representation continued to be problems for Guatemalan women, however.13

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/59/307), August 30, 2004.

Women’s Rights – 2004

No developments observed this year.

Women’s Rights – 2005

No developments observed this year.

Women’s Rights – 2006

After MINUGUA completed its mandate, the new Guatemala contingent of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that violence against women remained widespread and perpetrators largely enjoyed impunity. Indigenous women were doubly discriminated against across the country.14

2007: The Government adopted the Coordinated Agenda for Maya, Garifuna and Xinka Women in 2007.15

2008: In 2008, women held 12% percent of Congressional seats and filled elected office in 2% of municipal councils and 6% of municipal corporations. In 2009, women made up 22% of Departmental Development Councils.16

  1. “Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Guatemala,” United Nations Economic and Social Council (E/CN.4/2006/10/Add.1), February 1, 2006.
  2. “Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women in the Context of the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals,” United Nations Economic and Social Council (E/2010/60), May 7, 2010.
  3. “Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women in the Context of the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals,” United Nations Economic and Social Council (E/2010/60), May 7, 2010.