In the march for International Women’s Day this March 8, there was also individual participation, of mothers accompanied by their children and families that demand justice for the violent death of women.
Various posters, and slogans carry women in the march.
“My life has value”, “we listen, but we also demand”, “silence makes you complicit, speaks and denounces sexual violence”, “that fear does not paralyze us, we act against sexual violence” are some of the messages, demands and slogans.
Several groups of girls also participated in the march of March 8, in which they ask to be able to leave with freedom and without fear of the street, criticizing the insecurity that exists.
“Lord, ma’am, is not indifferent, women are killed on people’s face,” was another messages that accompanied with rhythms of redoublers and other slogans.
The relatives of María Fernanda, who was killed on December 18, 2024 for her husband and the one who also murdered her 10 -year -old son and injured her daughter.
“Every woman has the right to live free of fear, violence and damage” and “our cry for justice, we will not rest for her, for her son Anyelo and for her two surviving children,” they expressed in the blanket they carried.
María Cristina Viuda de Fuentes, the mother of María Fernanda, expressed among sobs that the demand she has is justice for her daughter, who was 32 years old and for her 10 -year -old grandson. Two grandchildren, a 12 -year -old boy and a 7 -year -old girl survived.
Being in this march, as a mother and as a woman, represents “that we all have rights to live, as a wife, mother,” said Maria Fernanda’s mother.
The organization coincides and the batucada girls They also remind girls who died burned in the safe home, in 2017.
“We lack 41” expressed in one of the posters they carried, also accompanied by drum rhythm.
“We just want to play without fear of not returning,” they said in another posters.
Also, the consortium for the sexual and reproductive rights of Guatemala participated in the march, and expressed in a bulletin that many challenges are still pending to fulfill the commitments of the Beijing Action Platform, and that there are still serious structural inequalities in the country.
It indicates that women are still the most affected by poverty, violence, discrimination and lack of access to fundamental services.
Claudia Rosales, from this organization, said that this time they participated with two messages, one is to claim the advances that thanks to the fight of women have been achieved, and commemorate 30 years of the Beijin platform, which consider it as one of the most advanced in rights for women.
However, he said that there are still great lags in access to justice because the investigations of the Public Ministry are very weak, so the corresponding sentences are not achieved, in addition to the co -opted justice system. In addition, he mentions Licays in access to measures for the prevention of all forms of violence, including sexual violence, street harassment, assaults towards women and girls.
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It mentions limitations in access to health, and that maternal mortality is still seen where it should have already been exceeded, in addition to lags in access to education.
The statement adds that barriers, violence, racism, discrimination are still unsolved problems for women in Guatemala, citing that it is estimated that during 2024 more than 12 thousand women were victims of physical, psychological and sexual violence.
According to the Women’s Observatory of the Public Ministry last year there were 5,885 victims of sexual violence between women, girls and adolescents, the organization cites in a statement.
And he adds that impunity continues “since more than 95% of cases of violence do not receive adequate judicial conviction.”
It also states that education, and above all integral education in sexuality (EIS), in educational centers it is essential for the healthy and full development of girls and adolescents since it provides tools to make informed decisions, prevent pregnancies, avoid forced maternity, identify manifestations of sexual violence to denounce it and prevent sexually transmitted infections.
“In a country where high indices of child abuse and pregnancies persist in minors, it is crucial that integral education in sexuality is not limited to biology, but encompasses emotional, social and ethical aspects. In Guatemala 1 in 5 girls and adolescents face a pregnancy or a forced maternity before the age of 18 ”, it was added in a statement, adding that official data indicate that there are more than 56 thousand 568 records of births of girls and adolescents from 10 to 19 years; of which 1,953 come from girls from 10 to 14 years, “which constitutes a sexual violation that remains in impunity without persecution of the rapist.”
In addition, in 2022, the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) reported more than 1 thousand femicides.