White Ribbon Launched in Guatemala

Campaign launched during Women's Day March 2008

We are happy to announce that through the hard work of two groups, Mujeres Iniciando en las Americas (MIA) and Red por la Paz y el Desarrollo de Guatemala (RPDG), White Ribbon Campaign has officially been launched in Guatemala (an official website will be posted once available).

Launched on March 8th of this year to coincide with International Women's Day, the organizers said they were received

very positively when we marched in the Women's Day March, talked to schools, and in discussions with other groups engaged in the struggle to end violence against women. We had a press conference and 15 members of the mainstream press in Guatemala showed up to cover it. The WRC was received warmly even by the police and military people we talked with. We're encouraged to engage on the difficult task of changing the violent machismo culture in Guatemala.

According to their press release (which I am paraphrasing after using a free online translator - so please excuse any errors) the Guatemalan campaign hopes to implement anti-violence programs for children and youth in both private and public primary and secondary schools.

Guatemala joins Brazil, Nicaragua and Mexico in a network spanning Southern and Latin America.

For more information please contact Lucia Munoz or Julio Revolorio of MIA.

MIA's mission to increase public awareness of the maltreatment of women in Guatemalato improve socioeconomic conditions, ease gender bias and create educational prgorams to reduce domestic violence and femicide.

RPDG is a network of Guatemalan's and friends of Guatemalans living abroad supporting peace and development for all Guatemalans. It was started in California in 2001.