In 2016 MIRIAM constituted the “NATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN FOR A FULFILLED LIFE FREE FROM VIOLENCE AND RACISM” – RENAPROVIP – which brings together more than 31 organizations and/or groups of women in 13 different departments and 23 municipalities. (Baja Verapaz, Jalapa, Guatemala, Chimaltenango, Jutiapa, El Quiche, Escuintla, Santa Rosa, Alta Verapaz, Quetzaltenango, Sololá, San Marcos and Totonicapán). In four years, more than 80 gender trainers taught  1,046 community promoters in the prevention of gender-specific violence and the promotion of a fulfilled life.

Every year, we develop courses on various topics for the training of university gender trainers and community promoters:

“Mayan cultural identity and beliefs to promote a fulfilled life free of violence and racism” (2020), “Encountering the voice of our integral being to influence for the benefit of our rights as indigenous and rural women” (2019), “Leadership and advocacy for the defense and exercise of the human rights of indigenous women (2018), “Citizen participation and political advocacy for a fulfilled life for women, free from violence and racism” (2017) “Training of female promoters for a fulfilled life – coexistence for a life free from violence and racism” (2016)

The university gender trainers become agents of change, multiplying their knowledge through the training process of the community promoters. Thus they create a space for exchange and analysis of the oppressive system based on racism and structural violence of the state, as well as the forms of resistance and the contribution of indigenous female leaders to the defense of individual and collective rights. Furthermore, they have deepened the principles that strengthen the rights of indigenous women and the defense of the territory from the Mayan beliefs.

Community promoters are trained to encourage other women to report acts of violence and to inform them about their right to a dignified life and access to justice.  Based on the political manual: “Representation of interests and political participation to promote a fulfilling life for women, free from violence and racism”, the community supporters have acquired skills and abilities in the use of important instruments of advocacy at the local level to prevent violence against women and know techniques to harmonize the integral nature.

Local advocacy plans have been developed in selected municipalities, which include an analysis and prioritization of the municipality’s problems regarding violence against women and young people, objectives, messages, alliances and an action plan for local advocacy, so that local authorities and decision-makers at national level assume their responsibility for guaranteeing the rights of indigenous and rural women. It is our objective that the decision makers make the fight against gender-based violence and racism a priority, and include in their budgets funds specifically for campaigns to promote a fulfilling life and the creation of policies, laws and programs to strengthen the institutional framework for women’s rights. Local actions contribute to the MIRIAM National Advocacy Plan and the objectives of the National Network for a Fulfilling Life for Women, and have a system of indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

Since the development of the strategic care model and the model of transformative reparations for cases of sexual violence against Mayan youth, MIRIAM felt it was important to follow up on existing state processes and programs in this area.

For the association Ixoqib’ MIRIAM, the social audit is

“a participatory practice of Mayan, Xinca, Garifuna and Mestizo women, exercised as a civil right, to pursue, monitor and evaluate public plans, budgets and policies aimed at women’s development, the elimination of violence against women and advocacy, with proposals to promote positive action, full reparation for victims of violence, a decent life with rights through higher education and the full exercise of their rights”. (MIRIAM, Collective construction).

After a first social audit report had shown the scope and functioning of the public institutions for the care of young women who have been victims of violence, MIRIAM audited the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, the Institute of Public Defense, the Department for the Rights of Indigenous Women in the field of psychological and educational care. The results showed a serious lack of compliance by state institutions, because they leave a large number of women, adolescents and girls who have survived sexual violence unsupervised, and in many respects they fail to meet the objectives set out in their own programs, plans and protocols. The resources allocated to care programs are insufficient and limit the quality of care for the large number of victims of violence. Women who have survived violence are severely restricted in their access to culturally pertinent psychological care, and support for the reconstruction of their life projects by promoting their right to education is practically non-existent.

The social audit of the “Social program for the care of pregnant girls and adolescents or mothers, victims of sexual violence under the age of 14, whose cases were assessed, showed great difficulties in identifying cases, requirements that limit access to the programs because the cases have to be accepted at court, there are irregular payments, there is no clarity about the number of beneficiaries and the budget implementation is low.

An examination of the reparation sentences  at the criminal courts in the departments of Quetzaltenango, Totonicapán and Chimaltenango revealed an extremely low number of convictions in connection with complaints about the various manifestations of violence against women. The reparations awarded by the courts are almost exclusively limited to economic compensation, which in most cases is not enforced because many perpetrators are financially incapable and women are unable to exercise their right to civil reparation.

Considering the problems and needs of young victims of violence, especially in the areas of education, health, housing and food for their children, we saw the need to develop a proposal for a dignified and transformative reparation for the rights of young victims of violence, as some of them have children because of their experienced situation and their plight is urgent.

Based on our experience with the strategic model of comprehensive care and in view of the fact that the impact on the lives of young people, their children and their families is positive, we have set ourselves the task of conducting studies on the application of Guatemalan legislation with regard to the implementation of adequate reparations for victims of female violence and the Mayan justice system, as well as reparations for violent crimes against women. As a result of the research, we designed the model of dignified and transformative reparation for cases of sexual violence against Mayan youth in Guatemala, which was presented to judicial staff and social organizations in the departments of Guatemala, Chimaltenango, Quetzaltenango and Suchitepéquez.

The transformative approach to reparation proposed by Ixoqib’ MIRIAM must take into account the multicultural context, that violence does not recur in the lives of young people and women, that the conditions that led to the violence are transformed into safe conditions, and that inter-institutional and intersectoral cooperation defines the pathways for action by those responsible for a comprehensive and timely response to young people to restore their normal lives, especially that girls and young people live in an age-appropriate manner and enjoy their rights. The Guatemalan State has the task of ensuring a dignified and transformative reparation with cultural relevance and a gender perspective.

As part of the project “Young Leaders for Violence Prevention and the Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health” the following campaign was implemented from August 2017 to March 2018:

“My body, my rights, my life project”

• Audios by young leaders for violence prevention and the right to sexual and reproductive health
• Video clips to raise awareness and provide information on violence prevention, access to education and health as part of their life project
• Movie “Tell me the truth”
• Movie “Love, sexuality and family planning from the Mayan culture”
• Creation of murals in San Juan Ostuncalco and Totonicapan with representatives of various youth groups, in which they express their demands for a non-violent life project through art

The campaign “For us, for a fulfilled life without violence, without racism” is currently being developed as part of the “National Network of Female Supporters for a Fulfilled Life (RENAPROVIP)”, which contributes to raising awareness and education on the following topics:

1. Awareness/early detection and identification of the problem
2. Break the silence
3. Culture of Denunciation
4. Strengthening of rights
5. Healing
6. Networking
7. Engagement of judicial staff
8. Education and training
9. Participation
10. A fulfilled life and full exercise of rights

The association Ixoqib’ MIRIAM works within the strategy of collective action for a fulfilling life for women in various alliances, networks and agendas that integrate social organizations, women, children and state institutions, with which we coordinate and carry out various lobbying actions with the aim of making visible the different legal claims of women, indigenous women, children and teenagers, in particular their right to  access to education, participation in decision-making and a life free of violence and racism.

• Alliance of women and indigenous women of Guatemala for access to justice- AMMI
• National Network of Indigenous Women -REDNAMI-
• Quetzaltenango Women’s NGO Network
• Education Agenda
• Network for the prevention and care of child and youth abuse
• Mediation networks of the public prosecutor’s office

In line with the 2010 UNICEF Declaration, MIRIAM’s advocacy is as follows:

“A deliberate process, based on proven evidence, of directly and indirectly influencing decision-makers, stakeholders and the relevant public to support and implement actions in the interest of the most vulnerable”.

In our national advocacy plan, we want to achieve the implementation of at least one policy and/or law on the prevention of violence and on the rights of indigenous women, and to commit the government at local, regional and national level to develop campaigns to raise awareness and prevent violence and racism against indigenous women.  We also call for the state to develop and implement a model for dignified and transformative reparation. For this purpose, MIRIAM trains judges, prosecutors and civil servants and regularly organizes international conferences on the issue of transformative reparation. Together with Mujeres Transformando el Mundo, MIRIAM has campaigned for the “law for the comprehensive protection of the girl” and the implementation of the reparation sentence in the “Sepur Zarco” case of sexual slavery during the Guatemala civil war.

A central theme of MIRIAM’s advocacy is the demand for access to free, high-quality and culturally appropriate public education for indigenous women. In this context, MIRIAM, together with Mayan student groups, participated in the process of university reform and organized a consultation with indigenous peoples as a basis for a proposal to reform the organic law of the University of San Carlos.

The promotion of the equal participation of indigenous women in decision-making forums at national, departmental and local level in the fields of education, prevention of violence, sexual and reproductive rights and reparations has led us to participate in the process of preparing, socializing and validating the Beijing + 20 Guatemala Additional Report or the digitization of historical women’s documents in the Women’s CD Network. Together with the Alliance for Indigenous Women and Women’s Rights, we promoted the candidacy of indigenous women for the Supreme Electoral Court, the Courts of Appeals, the Supreme Court, the Congress and the Office of the Human Rights Defender.  For the period 2018-2020, María del Rosario Noj Xoyón was elected by the Asociación Ixoqib’ MIRIAM as the women’s deputy in the National Council for the Implementation of the Peace Agreements-CNAP.

In our local advocacy plans, which are being implemented in six municipalities, we exert influence on the local authorities to develop gender policies and a citizens’ network to prevent violence against women and indigenous women. At local and national level, we are calling for the creation of joint funds to support women’s organizations for projects to prevent violence and train indigenous women. In coordination with women’s organizations in Quetzaltenango, we have succeeded in persuading the city administration to build a “women’s center” where women can receive counselling, support and training.

Every year, the association commemorates  on the days when it demands women’s rights, such as March 8, International Women’s Day, November 25, the day of non-violence against women, among other important days. With the founding of the “MIRIAM Choir” and the artists’ group “Wajxaqib’ B’atz”, MIRIAM has begun to lobby through body expression, performances and other activities of denunciation through art.

Since 2011, MIRIAM actively promotes sexual and reproductive rights through training processes and awareness campaigns. Together with the National Ministerial Conference for Mayan Spirituality – Oxlajuj Ajpop, MIRIAM developed five educational modules and a video on “Love, Sexuality and Family Planning from Mayan Culture and in the K’iche Language”. The aim was to contribute to reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions among young women, with a focus on Mayan beliefs and the K’iche language. In the years 2012 – 2020 more than 3000 students were educated in different secundary schools in Totonicapán. The teachers received two workshops on innovative methods of teaching the topics of love, sexuality and family planning from Mayan culture.

Currently, MIRIAM promotes the exercise of civil rights of young people in the field of sexual and reproductive health and considers young people as key actors in preventing violence against women and in demanding improved access to reproductive health services. Key actions include training processes for young people from organized groups and educational centers in the municipalities of Totonicapán and San Juan Ostuncalco on the prevention of violence against women, the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and the defense of their rights, and the organization of committees for the prevention of violence. The role of these committees is to promote the reporting of violence against young women in educational institutions and to act in their establishment through advocacy plans to prevent violence.

In addition, studies will be carried out on compliance with the legal framework for the protection of young people against violence, on the care of young victims of violence with regard to their right to sexual and reproductive health and on the reconstruction of their life project, as well as forums and press conferences on the prevention of violence against young women, access to education and health under the project for a fulfilling life.