A failure to enforce policies to protect Indigenous peoples has contributed to a culture in which gender-based violence and discrimination are the norm in rural Indigenous communities like those where Nuya’ works. In Sololá, not only are more than 80% of Indigenous families living in poverty, but 86% of women report that they are required to ask permission from a spouse or male partner to leave the home, and 78% report that they need permission to manage household funds. In such circumstances, many women report feeling a lack of confidence in their own ability to make decisions–for their households, their children, and for themselves.
But when women have access to spaces where they feel heard, when they have the resources, support, and guidance to build confidence, autonomy, and skills, they can lead their families to a brighter future.