Stop the Killing of Women in Guatemala

We need your help to seek justice from the Guatemalan authorities in the cases of nearly 2,200 women and girls who have been murdered since 2001. Please take action to stem the tide of these killings, to ensure effective prosecution of these crimes, and to promote women's human rights in Guatemala.

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Message Recipients

Alvaro Colom - President of the Republic of Guatemala

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Dear (recipient name),

I am deeply concerned about the continued increase in the number of women and girls who have been brutally murdered in Guatemala since 2001.  To date, nearly 2,200 women and girls have been killed, yet very few cases have been investigated or prosecuted, and only a handful of cases have resulted in convictions.

I welcome the news reported by Amnesty International that Guatemala has recently created a National Commission to Address Femicide, a National Forensic Institute to aid investigations, and a commission to investigate police abuses against women.  Also, I applaud the Guatemalan Congress for suspending, at least temporarily, some highly discriminatory legal provisions, and for drafting legislation to end both discrimination against women and impunity for the perpetrators of crimes against women.  However, I am concerned that the draft legislation has not been approved, and that so far, few positive results have been reported despite these important initiatives.

First, I urge you to take all steps necessary to ensure prompt and effective forensic investigations of these crimes.  I ask that you ensure the necessary resources, including training and technical assistance, are available to police investigators and prosecutors.

Second, I urge you to ensure that all necessary resources are available to the newly created Commission to Address Femicide, enabling Commissioners to improve coordination of state institutions responsible for preventing, investigating and prosecuting the killings of women.  To be sustainable and effective, the Commission should have civil society representation.  I am also concerned that the new Commission not duplicate initiatives already underway by the National Board for the Prevention of Violence and Eradication of Interfamily Violence and Violence against Women (CONAPREVI) and the National Plan for the Eradication of Violence against Women (PLANOVI).  All these initiatives must have sufficient resources and political support to end violence against women in Guatemala.

Third, while acknowledging progress by Congress, I am concerned that many discriminatory laws continue in force in Guatemala.  I hope you will urge Congress to approve promptly the pending legislation to criminalize sexual harassment.  I also hope you will press for the approval of draft law No. 2630, which abolishes some of the existing discriminatory legal provisions in Guatemala, and criminalizes acts of violence against women.

In closing, I urge you to encourage renewed efforts by all relevant state agencies and authorities to reaffirm their commitment to women’s rights, to focus all possible resources on stopping the killings of women and girls, and bring those responsible to justice.  Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you about these important concerns.

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