MuJER (Mujeres por la Justicia, Educación y el Reconocimiento)

Women for Justice, Education and Awareness

Qui sommes-nous

MuJER, established in 2005 and based in Guatemala City, is dedicated to the promotion of women’s rights through education and awareness.

La Línea is Guatemala City’s downtown red light district. Many of the women who work there lack access to education and/or skill training that would allow them to leave prostitution. This group of sex workers is one of the most marginalized communities in Guatemala. MuJER seeks to provide these women with educational courses, vocational opportunities, and a belief in their own self-worth and dignity.

Programs:
• Leer es Poder (Reading is Power): MuJER's basic literacy project. We partner with Guatemala's national literacy program, CONALFA (Comisión Nacional de Alfabetización). Our literacy classes provide one-on-one instruction and are free.
• Elementary School Completion Certificate: We also partner with CONALFA to enable women to finish elementary school (grades 3-6). Upon completion of a grade level, participants receive a certificate documenting the level of elementary education they have attained. We provide one-on-one instruction and the classes are free. After passing grade 6 in Guatemala, students are eligible to pursue a high school diploma.
• Computer Classes: Computer classes are designed to train the women in basic computer skills, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Beauty Classes: Beauty classes provide the women with the opportunity to learn the basics of manicures, pedicures, facials, and hair-styling.
• English Language Classes: The English language courses focus predominately on teaching the women conversational English. Possessing some English ability can increase an individual's salary in the job market.
• Workshops: We offer free, short-term workshops (1-4 sessions) in a variety of programs, including jewelry-making, violence prevention, first aid, and knitting. We offer these workshops at an HIV prevention clinic, thus encouraging the women to become familiar with the services offered at the clinic. We are developing an export business to sell jewelry made by the women in our workshops. The proceeds from our jewelry sales are returned to the women as a source of alternative income.
• Work/Home Visits: Caseworkers engage in biweekly visits with individual women, either at La Línea or at their homes, to build personal relationships with the women. While on work/home visits, case workers promote dialogue about education, health, and women’s rights.
• La Red de No Violencia Contra las Mujeres: MuJER was officially invited to participate in the committee of La Red de No Violencia Contra las Mujeres, (the Network of No Violence Against Women). This network of women's organizations works on the prevention and eradication of discrimination, oppression, and violence against women in Guatemala. Members of the network research public policy affecting women, social communication, and politics. MuJER is part of La Red’s committee on national awareness of violence against women.

Jodi Finkel is one of the Founders of MuJER.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.