Empowerment of Indigenous women for community risk management with a GBV prevention perspective

About this project

In the Polochic Valley, particularly in the municipality of Panzós, unstable environmental conditions generate recurrent flooding due to annual overflows of the Polochic River. Since storms Eta and Iota in 2020 through 2025, floods have repeatedly damaged homes, livelihoods, and community safety. The population is highly vulnerable: indigenous women live in poverty and exclusion and face GVB before, during and after emergencies; children, older persons and persons with disabilities are rarely considered in response plans; and communities located in high-risk areas suffer constant impacts on livelihoods and mental health. DRM responses remain insufficiently inclusive. Violence is structural and linked to poverty and limited access to justice—8/10 people in Alta Verapaz live in poverty and many households face food insecurity. Official records show high levels of violence against women across the department. Floods increase women’s risks because they evacuate last while caring for dependents, shelters lack protection protocols and crop losses deepen economic violence and food insecurity. The project aims to transform the critical vulnerability of Indigenous communities where climate crisis and gender inequality intersect. Increasing multi-hazard events exceed local response capacity, while systemic exclusion exposes women to differentiated risks during emergencies. The intervention targets 5 communities in Panzós and focuses on strengthening women’s leadership within CONRED lo…

Published by

CAFOD · International NGO

Countries

Guatemala

Sectors

Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutionsEnding violence against women and girlsMaterial relief assistance and servicesMulti-hazard response preparedness

Focus

Environment · Main focus

Funded by

Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD)

Implemented by

Pastoral Social - Caritas, Diocesis de la Verapaz

Published by CAFOD to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), last updated 1 Jun 2026 and imported automatically. IATI identifier: GB-CHC-285776-GUA209.

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