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Guatemala – Meeting of defenders of the territorio cuerpo-tierra

On March 29 and 30, PBI Guatemala invited 25 women human rights defenders of the territorio cuerpo-tierra, from 15 organizations and groups, from 15 organizations and groups and 9 departments to a meeting to exchange experiences about their realities and the challenges they face in their struggle. 

The precarious situation of security and lack of protection of the defenders in rural areas was made evident during the discussion, since in many cases defenders do not have access to those State institutions in charge of protecting the women at risk. This gathering included a meeting with representatives of the embassies of Germany, Canada, Spain, the United States, United Kingdom and Sweden, as well as the EU Delegation and the OHCHR, where defenders shared their concerns on varied issues, such as the freedom of expression of community communicators and the lack of recognition of their work, the work of women's organizations that accompany women survivors of violence, who are highly exposed and vulnerable, and the lack of adequate responses by state institutions.