Help Prevent Child Marriage in Rural Guatemala

At WJI, we believe in the power of the law to transform lives when paired with community-led strategies. Since launching our Legal Services Program in 2013, we’ve provided free legal assistance to over 5,000 women and girls in 96 communities.

In the first half of 2025 alone, together we have:

• Supported 408 women with free legal services, 90% of whom are survivors of violence.
• Provided trauma-informed counseling to 51 women and girls in the local Indigenous language.
• Reached 422 women through our Women’s Rights Education Program, where 98% now reject any justification for violence against women (up from 86% at baseline).
• Equipped 35 new Community Advocates to lead workshops and accompany women in their communities.
• Graduated 172 adolescent girls, giving them the tools to delay early marriage and pursue their dreams.

This year, we also took an exciting step toward scaling our impact: WJI shared its legal empowerment methodology with five organizations in Alta Verapaz and Baja Verapaz, regions with some of the highest rates of violence against women in Guatemala. In partnership with Voces y Manos, we trained 15 local staff members, most of whom had never before received training on gender-based violence. By the end, every participant affirmed their commitment to breaking cycles of violence.

“We can now orient women in vulnerable situations and help them identify a path forward.” – Gregorio, Coordinator, Voces y Manos

Thanks to your support, women and girls are not only receiving vital services, but also becoming advocates and leaders. With your continued generosity, we can bring this movement to even more communities across Guatemala, ensuring justice and safer futures for all.

Your support makes this ambitious initiative possible. We hope you will consider making a tax-deductible donation today to help us reach more organizations across the region.