Outcome GTM_D_1.1

By 2025, the prioritized population will have greater access, under conditions of equality and security, to spaces for political, and civic participation at the national and local levels, promoting urban and rural development from different spaces. (UNSDCF Pillar 3. Strong institutions. Outcome 3.3.)

UN Women Guatemala is making satisfactory progress to achieve the goal that women and girls participate fully and equitably in leadership and decision-making and benefit from gender-sensitive governance. During 2023, the following results stand out. Implemented for the first time in the country, the “Protocol to address violence against women in the political and electoral sphere” in the 2023 elections , thanks to the technical support provided by UN Women and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE); A process that began in 2021 when the update of the Gender Equality Policy was supported, continued in 2022 with the development and launch of the protocol, and in 2023 its dissemination and implementation was supported. Concerted agenda for the advancement of women's rights in Guatemala. A space for dialogue was generated between women leaders of Civil Society Organizations and women elected as deputies and mayors through the National Consultation Meeting, called “From and For Us” held in December 2023, where the participation of 66 female leaders; With 44 women representing 27 Civil Society Organizations from across the country and 22 deputies, mayors and advisors of the new local government elected for the period 2024-2028. Within the framework of the Meeting, the participants developed an agreed agenda on priorities, for the advancement and recognition of women's rights, to be promoted in the next period. This achievement was achieved thanks to UN Women within the framework of the implementation of the project, Participate Women, financed by the European Union. Supported the significant representation of more than 50 women's organizations in the electoral update and modernization mechanism (CAME) . UN Women contributed to the coordination and definition of joint strategies between the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, women's organizations/networks and organizations of people with disabilities, among which are the Alliance of Women and Indigenous Women, the Women's Political Agenda, the Forum National Women for Peace and the Indigenous Women's Platform, which ensure the significant representation of more than 50 women's organizations in the electoral updating and modernization mechanism (CAME). Supported the III International Black Feminism Meeting held in Livingston – Izabal, in the month of June supported by UN Women. The event included the participation of 60 Garifuna and Afro-descendant women from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Colombia; The participants were able to establish a joint work agenda One of the outstanding lessons learned from the year is the importance of strengthening communication in a multicultural manner, addressing diversity and intersectionality in a comprehensive manner . This aspect becomes especially relevant when considering the territorial approach, underlining the importance of inclusive communication that reflects and respects the different cultural realities present in each context, therefore, improving communication from this perspective can strengthen relationships and effective participation in communities. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Theory of Change of this result, registered in the 2022-2025 strategic note of the Guatemala Country Office, continues.

By 2025, the prioritized population will have greater access, under conditions of equality and security, to spaces for political, and civic participation at the national and local levels, promoting urban and rural development from different spaces. (UNSDCF Pillar 3. Strong institutions. Outcome 3.3.)

UN Women Guatemala is progressing satisfactorily towards the goal that women and girls have full and equal participation in leadership and decision-making and for them to benefit from gender-sensitive governance. During 2022, the following two results related to the strengthening of capacities of public institutions, and of women and their organizations, stand out: First, The Platform of Indigenous Women -PMI-, is a body that facilitates mechanisms for political and social dialogue at the highest level between indigenous women and State institutions, the private sector, and the international community to contribute to the exercise of the rights of women and indigenous peoples. Currently, 230 indigenous female leaders from Guatemala make up the PMI, a number that has been increasing since its creation in 2019 (50 female leaders started in 2019; by 2020 there were 75 leaders; 125 leaders by 2021, and 230 female leaders by 2022). This has been possible thanks to the technical and financial support provided by UN Women to the Platform from 2019 to date. In 2022 the Platform of Indigenous Women achieved the following results: (1) The self-management capabilities of the PMI were strengthened, as evidenced by the start of the legal constitution process for the Platform through the public incorporation as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the appointment of legal representatives, and the development and approval of the PMI's 2022-2023 Work Plan. (2) 155 indigenous women from 12 women’s organizations and different indigenous peoples (Mayans, Xinkas, and Garifunas), have greater knowledge of leadership, governance, and women’s rights; thanks to the realization of two national meetings. (3) The PMI established strategic partnerships to solidify its role as a key player and representative of women and indigenous peoples. These results are expected to contribute to the exercise of individual and collective rights and increase the political and civic participation of indigenous women. The second notable result is the Protocol to address violence against women in the political and electoral sphere, and the update of the Gender Equality Policy, which was carried out and presented by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), thanks to the technical assistance provided by UN Women and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Specifically, UN Women Guatemala contributed by providing support through a participatory process that included the criteria, priorities, and vision of the TSE Magistrates, directors, and technical and operational team, which allowed for the inclusion of the principles of gender equality, ethnic equity, and the principle of non-violence against women. With the implementation of the Protocol and the updating of the Policy, it is expected that the promotion of conditions of equality and non-discrimination in the daily dynamics of political activities and during electoral processes will be achieved to improve the political participation of women. One of the lessons learned from the year’s work is that UN Women’s technical and agency capacity to carry out advocacy at the highest level has the potential to support the advancement of the women’s agenda. Finally, it is important to mention that the Theory of Change of this result was carried out in a participatory manner in 2021 as part of the process of formulating the Strategic Note 2022-2025 currently in force in the Guatemala Country Office.

SN Outcome 1. By 2025, the prioritized population will have greater access, under conditions of equality and security, to spaces for political, and civic participation at the national and local levels, promoting urban and rural development from different spaces. (UNSDCF Pillar 3. Strong institutions. Outcome 3.3.)

In 2025, UN Women contributed to enabling more women to access political and civic participation spaces under conditions of equality and safety. This progress was achieved through technical assistance to the Secretariat for Executive Coordination of the Presidency (SCEP) to integrate gender equality and intercultural approaches into local public policies, the training of departmental communication focal points on gender, human rights, and intercultural approaches, and efforts to promote equitable citizen participation. This result was made possible through the technical support of UN Women and the formalization of the inter-institutional partnership between UN Women Guatemala and the Secretariat for Executive Coordination of the Presidency (SCEP), through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on June 4, 2025. This agreement was established to strengthen local governance with a gender perspective, promote affirmative measures within the Development Council System (SISCODE), strengthen territorial planning with a gender approach, and develop institutional awareness-raising actions targeting institutional staff and territorial counterparts. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GBXLZBKai/ Within the framework of this agreement, the technical capacities of the institutional communication teams of SCEP and the departmental governorates were strengthened through the implementation of the training program “Communication Without Bias.” This training process addressed the foundations of communication with gender, human rights, and intercultural approaches, as well as the use of digital tools to improve the strategy and impact of institutional communication, contributing to the production of inclusive and stereotype-free content. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1VmvGtKfHA/ https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1VmvGtKfHA/ In a complementary manner, a practical guide on institutional communication with a gender perspective and an intercultural approach was developed and systematized as an output of the training process. The guide consolidated the learnings addressed in the workshops and provided operational guidance for the development of messages, campaigns, and institutional materials free from gender bias, racism, and discrimination, strengthening the institutional capacities of the Secretariat of Executive Coordination of the Presidency (SCEP) for its application at both central and territorial levels. In addition, women’s participation in decision-making and socio-political representation was promoted through the organization of the Congress for Parity and Alternation on October 3, 2025, as a strategic space to guarantee women’s human rights and recognize their leadership in the construction of a more just, inclusive, and equal society. The event brought together more than 100 women leaders from all regions of the country, who presented concrete proposals to accelerate progress toward substantive equality and parity participation. Within the framework of the Congress, the forum “The Path toward Equal and Parity Participation of Women in Guatemala” was held, with the participation of the Presidential Secretary for Women; the Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat for Executive Coordination of the Presidency (SCEP); and the Country Representative of UN Women Guatemala. The event was organized by the Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM), the Secretariat for Executive Coordination of the Presidency (SCEP), the General Secretariat of the Presidency, and the Ministry of Culture and Sports, within the framework of the project Women Leading Peace, coordinated by UN Women Guatemala and the implementing agencies the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Guatemala and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Guatemala, with the support of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) Guatemala. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DCK17fpQy/

SN Outcome 1. By 2025, the prioritized population will have greater access, under conditions of equality and security, to spaces for political, and civic participation at the national and local levels, promoting urban and rural development from different spaces. (UNSDCF Pillar 3. Strong institutions. Outcome 3.3.)

UN Women in Guatemala is making significant progress toward ensuring full and effective participation of women and girls in leadership and decision-making processes and benefitting from gender-responsive governance. One of the main achievements in 2024 has been the strengthening of the Indigenous Women Platfom (Plataforma de Mujeres Indígenas, PMI) of Guatemala at both national and international levels as a key actor in amplifying the voices of Indigenous women. As a key result, the Indigenous Women Platform has consolidated its institutional capacity by having a legal structure, a strategic framework, regulations, and institutional policies that enable it to engage formally and effectively with its key stakeholders. This achievement was made possible through the technical and legal advisory support provided by UN Women to the PMI Board of Directors. Another significant result was the strengthening of the political, leadership and advocacy capacities of Maya, Xinka, and Garífuna Indigenous women from the Indigenous Women Platform through the design and implementation of the School of Governance and Leadership for Indigenous Women . In 2024, the curriculum was developed two cohorts, composed of 97 Indigenous women, successfully completed the diploma, significantly enhancing their political and leadership skills. Additionally, the Indigenous Women Platform successfully positioned itself as a key actor in national and international advocacy spaces, such as: (i) high-level meetings in Washington, D.C., and New York in September 2024, where strategic alliances were established; and (ii) the National Meeting of Indigenous Women Platform , which brought together over 100 Indigenous women leaders in strategic dialogues with national institutions such as the Congress of the Republic, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, effectively positioning their agendas in decision-making spaces. These results were made possible through the project "Weaving Participation and Strengthening the Political and Economic Capacities of Indigenous Women in Guatemala" , funded by the Indigenous Peoples' Foundation (FSC) and implemented by UN Women. This project has been key in creating an enabling environment that enhances the political advocacy and empowerment of Indigenous women within the Platform, positioning them as essential actors in promoting their rights and developing proposals that integrate a gender perspective and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. These advances are essential in a context where the representation of Indigenous women in decision-making spaces remains extremely low. In the current 2024–2027 legislature, only 19% of the seats in the Congress of the Republic are held by women (31 out of 160), of whom only 1 is Indigenous; and at the local level, only 3.52% of municipal governments are led by women (12 out of 340 municipalities), of whom only 1 is Indigenous.