In the country I selected – Guatemala – I would like to further explore how Guatemalan women are treated in society by primarily focusing on the gender-based violence they face and the status that women, especially indigenous, have in the country.

In having a bit of previous knowledge on Guatemala, I know that they have one of the highest femicide rates in the world. More than 2,200 females in Guatemala have been killed since 2001 (Pardilla). Women have been subject to inhumane harm, which exhibit what little value is placed on women’s lives. According to a human rights organization, Amnesty International (AI), the highly concerning femicide rate may be because of the lack of government action towards women’s perpetrators; therefore, allowing the perpetrators to “get away with it.” In Guatemala, less than 4% of murder cases result in perpetrator conviction. With these statistics, it is difficult for women and girls to obtain the justice that they deserve. In a quick bid to attempt to help women feel like they are valued in society, the Guatemalan government passed a law in 2008 to include sentencing rules and tribunals for violence towards women (AI). Though the law has done little on a large scale to actually help these women, it gives the impression that women’s cases towards their abusers are still not respected. When women try to seek help from the government to create legal consequences for the culprit, the cases are dismissed because of inefficiency that authority has to further carry out the cases. Girls and women in Guatemala are treated poorly in their cases because of this country that is highly patriarchal.

The status of women in the country are seen as subordinate to a male’s. Throughout history and today, the indigenous communities celebrate the boys’ births, but not so much girls. Traditionally, women were seen as homemakers and being subject to their husband. According to a study, 74.4% of rural women in Guatemala said that they believed in the traditional gender roles of obeying to their husband even if they disagree with the husband’s beliefs (Pardilla). Another study showed that 81.6% of Guatemalan male participants said that they [their wives] needed to ask permission to leave the house (UN Women). In this society, patriarchy is the basis in creating the male and female roles; therefore, enforcing the inferiority of women.

Indigenous women, especially, are treated poorly. Being almost half of the population in Guatemala, indigenous individuals are likely to live 13 years less and twice as likely to experience maternal mortality than a non-indigenous person (Wulfhorst). One in three indigenous women don’t have access access to health services (Wulfhorst). Indigenous people, especially women, face stigma and discrimination by statistically being more likely to be poor and illiterate than non-indigenous citizens. Thought of as being “the bottom of the chain,” indigenous women experience overall less pay, access to healthcare, and access to education. The increased suffering the indigenous citizens go through bares little change as the cycle continues and could create the same experience for newer generations. Though times may be changing, men still hold the authority and social order in the household of these communities.

In learning how Guatemalan women and girls are treated in society, research has shown that there is a lack of unity that men and women have, which creates a large divide between the two. Guatemalan women experience inequality both in life value and power in society. Throughout history, patriarchy has solely ruled the country allowing for violence towards women and the menacing statistics of femicide. Though laws have been put into place in order to fix the gender inequality and to increase the value women have in society, little progress has been made. With legitimate effort to enforce the laws to hold male perpetrators accountable for violence against women, progress will be made in order to close the gender gap. Efforts to gain equality of gender roles in society will aid in creating a more unified country. Less discrimination between indigenous and non-indigenous citizens will take time and effort, but progress can be made in helping Guatemala achieve total gender equality in order to give a brighter future for generations to come.

“Guatemala.” UN Women | Americas and the Caribbean, lac.unwomen.org/en/donde-estamos/guatemala.

Pardilla, A. “Patriarchal Power and Gender-Based Violence in Guatemala and El Salvador.” Global Majority Journal, June 2016, www.bangladeshstudies.org/files/Global_Majority_e_Journal_7_1_Pardilla.pdf.

“Why Does Guatemala Have One of the Highest Rates of Femicide in the World?” Amnesty International, 23 Jan. 2013, www.amnestyusa.org/why-does-guatemala-have-one-of-the-highest-rates-of-femicide-in-the-world/.

Wulfhorst, E. “Indigenous and Female: Life at the Bottom in Guatemala.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 3 May 2017, www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-women-indigenous/indigenous-and-female-life-at-the-bottom-in-guatemala-idUSKBN17Z07N.