UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000328
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR USAID FOR LAC/CAM KSIENKIEWICZ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN, KCRM, PHUM, KJUS, KDEM, PGOV, SOCI, GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN WOMEN'S GROUPS PRESENT 100-DAY PLAN
REF: GUATEMALA 313
1. (U) Summary: Women's groups congregated in front of the
National Palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court on March 5
to present to the government a 100-day plan for women. First
Lady Sandra Torres de Colom pledged her support to advance
their agenda and promised to deliver the plan to President
Colom. End Summary.
The 100-Day Plan
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2. (U) On March 5, women's groups delivered to the GOG a
100-day plan for women in commemoration of International
Women's Day (March 8). Among its 19 demands, the groups
called upon the Executive to revise the national policy on
women in consultation with women's organizations, define the
communication and coordination strategy of the Presidential
Secretariat for Women (SEPREM), guarantee transparency in the
SIPDIS
election of the Secretariat, incorporate the principle of
equality as a cornerstone of its policies, promote the
participation of women in rural development councils, and
develop a program to give women better access to housing,
subsidies, and micro-credit. They also urged the executive,
legislative, and judicial branches to coordinate actions to
prevent domestic violence and femicide.
3. (U) First Lady Sandra Torres de Colom, who received the
plan and promised to deliver it to President Colom, assured
them that the Executive is open to dialogue and will consult
women's organizations on actions affecting them. She noted
that many of the actions requested were actions already
contemplated by the Executive. She pledged to establish a
mechanism of dialogue and coordination, and to convene a
meeting each month with representatives of women's groups,
with the aim of evaluating progress on the plan. She also
committed to creating the "Coalition of First Ladies and
Women Leaders of Latin America on Women and AIDS," and
announced that the Secretariat of Social Work of the Office
of the First Lady will establish a program to monitor actions
of the Ministry of Health to assist persons living with
HIV/AIDS.
Reaction to 100-Day Plan
------------------------
4. (SBU) Rosalinda Hernandez, member of the Board of
Directors of the NGO feminist group "La Cuerda" (The Cord)
and editor of its newspaper, told poloff that the 19 demands
represent the maturing of the priorities of women's groups
since the signing of the Peace Accords. She noted that while
her organization does not view the First Lady as a feminist,
it regards her as someone with good will who will champion
their demands. With Torres agreeing to take on their agenda,
Hernandez expressed optimism about advancing the women's
agenda during the Colom administration. She asserted that
women's groups could not have had the open, receptive
discussions with previous First Ladies that they have had
with Torres. Cecilia Alvarez, consultant for NGO "Grupo
Guatemalteco de Mujeres" (Guatemalan Group of Women), valued,
in particular, Torres' proposed monthly meetings with women's
organizations. She noted that Torres agreed to meet with
women's groups on June 16, the day the 100-day plan lapses,
to discuss progress, but welcomed regular meetings prior to
that date, which Alvarez interpreted as a demonstration of
good will.
5. (SBU) Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM) Gabriela
Nunez was generally supportive of the plan. She said that
while SEPREM does not support revision of the existing
national policy on women, which it drafted last year in
consultation with several women's groups and reached
consensus, it would seek to improve its implementation.
Qconsensus, it would seek to improve its implementation.
Nunez agreed on the need to strengthen communication between
SEPREM and women's groups. However, she noted that the
coalition of 18 local women's groups that presented the
demands lacked clear understanding of the division of roles
and limits on power among the Legislative, Executive, and
civil society.
Comment
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6. (SBU) Despite Guatemala's numerous challenges, women's
groups seem optimistic about advancing their agenda with the
support of the First Lady. In a country with a culture of
violence, where women have traditionally been marginalized
and many domestically abused, Torres' public support and
voice for the women's agenda promise to provide the necessary
momentum to promote gender equality and elevate the role of
women in society.
Derham