As hundreds of Guatemalan women marched on 8 March to commemorate International Women's Day and demand equal rights and justice, the country’s parliament was preparing to deal them an unprecedented blow.
That same evening, the Guatemalan Congress passed a bill that prohibits same-sex marriage, increases prison terms for women who have abortions and miscarriages, and bans sex education in schools. Known as the ‘law for life and family’, it also legalises homophobic speech.
The Guatemalan ombudsman, Amnesty International and several other human rights organisations denounced the bill. “Guatemala Congress is legalising institutionalised violence and discrimination against women, girls and the LGBTIQ+ community,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty’s director for the Americas.
