Women Leading Change

The project seeks to enhance gender equality and empower women youth and Indigenous peoples in El Salvador Guatemala and Honduras. It does so by increasing the involvement of women youth and Indigenous peoples in public leadership and decision-making processes and strengthening the capacity of municipalities justice system actors and community-based organizations to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The project works with municipal governments and organizations led by women youth and Indigenous peoples to address key equality gaps. For example gaps in decision-making equal access to and control over resources and equal realization of rights for women and vulnerable groups in the region. Project activities include: (1) developing and delivering a tri-national leadership program for women youth and Indigenous peoples. The program covers leadership management negotiation and public policy advocacy; (2) organizing regional exchanges to share best practices on leadership and empowerment of women youth and Indigenous peoples; (3) providing technical assistance to local governments and municipal women’s commissions to implement the integral development of women public policy; (4) providing technical assistance to the Tri-National Women’s Network and associated organizations for improved advocacy to prevent SGBV; (5) providing technical assistance to local governments justice officials and community-based organizations to expand their SGBV prevention and protection services and improve their capacity to respond to victim needs; and (6) developing and disseminating community municipal and national campaigns to increase awareness of the social and economic consequences of SGBV and its impact on victims.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced and more systematic engagement of women youth and Indigenous peoples in public leadership and decision-making processes; and (2) strengthened prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence by municipalities justice system actors and community-based organizations.