Transnational Center for Political, Legal Empowerment, and Advocacy (CEPLIT)
CEPLIT promotes political empowerment for women and girls through the Transnational Center for Political, Legal Empowerment, and Advocacy (CEPLIT).
Highlights of the Results of the Monitoring Process in Guatemala
OUR FEMINIST POLITICAL OBSERVATORY
Elections in Guatemala (2023), and El Salvador (2024)
Latinas en Poder and our sisters from the Network of Women's Organizations in Guatemala, in a powerful display of unity, along with the active participation of organizations across the Continent, organized the First Transnational Women's Mission to Observe and monitor the Second round of the presidential election. Representatives of our sister organizations ~monitored the electoral process in eleven country departments, demonstrating our collective commitment to the cause.
Our aim is three-fold: (1) foster the fair participation of women in all political processes, (2) ensure the participation of women as candidates in the electoral process, and (3) utilize the electoral processes as a training and education tool for women's political engagement. Criteria and indicators were designed to understand the dimension of women's political participation.
Analysis on the Political Future for Women in Guatemala, August 2023
Building political power also implies monitoring, observing, and understanding the processes and groups holding and sustaining the power structures. It also involves understanding how and why we demand full participation in society's political, civic, and democratic rights. The past government's intentions to stay in power amid the results of the newly elected president raised concerns about the vast majority of civil society in Guatemala and internationally. There was a unanimous demand for respect for the decision made by 60% of the electorate for newly elected President Arevalo. Latinas en Poder and our esteemed partner organizations played a pivotal role in creating a Continental campaign in support of respecting the results and voters' decisions.
Although women in Guatemala have achieved the right to vote, we are not fully represented in decision-making processes at high - or parliamentarian levels, particularly from indigenous and Afro-descent or rural communities. Your support is crucial in advocating for our increased representation. For instance, during the past elections in Guatemala, Congresswoman Sonia Gutierrez, representative of the Winaq Movement, was the only Indigenous woman elected to Congress. Unfortunately, not a single woman of Afro descent was elected to Congress. Representation matters!
Listen to Congresswoman Sonia Martinez's story. She overcame numerous obstacles to become the only Indigenous woman elected to Congress, representing the Winaq Movement. Her journey is a testament to the challenges faced by women in Guatemala in accessing decision-making roles.
Radio program: The Feminist Perspective on the Presidential Election in Guatemala
Guatemala in Resistance for Democracy Photograph taken from the Web.
Latinas en Poder Observed the Electoral Process in eleven Departments in Guatemala. Most of the persons interviewed were from Guatemala (24%, Quetzaltenango (16%), Jutiapa (14%) and, Jalapa (11.5%)
The ethnic background of the vast majority of the persons interviewed was Ladinos (57%), followed by 34.8%, who identified as Indigenous.
During the electoral process, the women interviewed identified seven principal issues: low wages (24.1%), lack of access to collective land (19.9%), poverty (17.4%), and political violence (10.5%)
According to the interviewees, women migrate due to poverty (58%), precarious jobs (52%), and, sexual violence (40%)
36% of women reported to have suffered political violence
Principal violences reported: (1) Criminalization of Judges, (2) Political Violence, (3) Physical Violence and harassment, (4) Denigrate candidates, (5) Sexist Threats
Women's Recommendations to the Newly Elected Government:
Lead with integrity and inclusivity
Higher level of women's inclusion
Create housing programs to increase family stabilization
Create informational programs to promote land rights and eco-friendly programs to mitigate climate change.
Provide support to families under financial constraints and,
Resume the commitments of the Peace agreements
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EL Salvador: Presidential and Parliamentarian Elections, February, 2024
Latinas en Poder and member organization RACDES, a Network of Organizations in El Salvador, organized the Second Feminist Transnational Electoral Observatory, the first in the country. The Delegation was composed of representatives of 20 women's organizations from San Salvador and 10 Departments, principally in rural communities, with the engagement of 20 other organizations (40 total), providing support and feedback to the process in communities.
Latinas en Poder interviewed 125 women, of which 51 represented women's organizations across the country, to take the pulse of the situation in the country. More than 50% stated that they had been victims of political violence or knew a victim of political violence.
Latinas en Poder and Partners Meeting with the Chilean Women's Ministry
In May 2023, Latinas en Poder and our Chilean partners, the Migrant Women Foundation and the Abortion Observatory, organized a meeting with Ana Peña, Director of the International Cooperation section and the representative of the Migration area of the Women´s Ministry, to address the reproductive health, labor and at the border challenges faced by Venezuelan and Haitian migrants in the country. It was indeed a productive meeting. We are looking forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with our partners in Chile.
(In the Photo, Maria Peña of the Women's Ministry, Yiniba Castillo, Migrant Women Foundation, Carolina Cisternas, de OLA, Milena Meza, de Con las Amigas y en la Casa)
Advocacy Training Session with Our Partners in Chile
Our partner, Con las Amigas y en la Casa, invited Latinas en Poder to facilitate an Advocacy training session for their companionship program's team. During the training, participants reviewed the ABC know-how of advocacy, learned from each others' advocacy experiences at local, national, and international levels, identified key daily problems faced by the sector, and new areas to advocate for secure abortion rights for women. Latinas en Poder is committed to supporting our dear friends and partners in Chile.
Working in Groups During the Training Session
The Observatory and Con las Amigas y en la Casa Team, and Latinas en Poder Representative
New Advocacy Steps for Secure Abortion in Chile
Latinas in Power Participates in the V Meeting of the Network of Rural Women of Latin America and the Caribbean (V ENLAC), held in Chilean Patagonia during May 2023.
As the Representative of Latinas en Poder at the V ENLAC, Nitza Segui facilitated a Dialogue with High-Level government representatives and the InterAmerican Foundation on the Situation and Opportunities for Women in Rural Communities. Latinas en Poder continues its support to address the existing oppressions against rural women along with our partners. We will continue to be a strong partner of the Rural Women's Network, promoting their rights and institutionalizing the Decade of Rural Women.
Our special appreciation to Luz Haro, General Secretary, for her fearless commitment to Rural Women!
During the Second Transnational Women's Summit, we instituted training sessions to strengthen the advocacy capacity of participating organizations at the local community, national, regional, and social networks.
During the last day of the Summit, we engaged in dialogue with female decision-makers to address the root causes of climate disasters and violence against women defenders due to extractives economies in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
Most recently, through our New Transnational Center for Political, Legal Empowerment, and Advocacy, we are instituting research and strategic legal empowerment tools to analyze and take action against enterprises damaging the environment in the communities and territories and the violations of their human rights they face).
Latinas en Poder at the UN International Dialogue on Migration in New York, 2023
Latinas en Poder representatives Nitza Segui & Katy Gil, president of the Afro-descent Women's Association, participated in the United Nations Dialogue on Migration. Please, click below to read our Statement- Spanish, April 2023.
(In the photo, Katy Gil and Marcos Antonio Palacios, National Migration Institute, Honduras.)
Advocacy. Latinas en Poder held a briefing/dialogue with Central American women leaders in the region, staffers from the United States Congress, and female legislators from Central American countries.
We discussed the violation of women's organizations' rights and the root causes that force women and girls to flee their ancestral communities.
Listen to the Latinas en Poder Report on the Status of Women and Girls in Central America to Members of the United States Congress with our Special Speakers: Celia Medrano, Human Rights Specialist, and activist Dra. Úrsula Roldán, Director at the Research Institute of Global and Territorial Dynamics, Landivar University, Guatemala; Katy Gil, President Afro descent Women´s Organization, New York; and Nitza Seguí, Latinas en Poder. Facilitated by Guerline Joseph, Haitian Bridge, California. March, 29 2o22.
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