Latin America has the highest levels of income inequality in the world, marked by the feminization of poverty and unequal opportunities for women (UNDP). On average, women in Latin America are 3.4% more likely to live in poverty than men (ECLAC), and at the current rate, it will take 53 years for Latin America and the Caribbean to close its gender gap (WEF).
The challenges and barriers that impact women’s well-being are entrenched, and addressing these issues in the entire region is critical. In Guatemala, for example, 51% of women 15 and over do not have their own source of income, the highest rate in the entire region (Eurosocial). Only 30% of women are economically active (ENEI), and many women see entrepreneurship as a way to achieve economic autonomy and contribute to their households. Although Guatemala ranks fourth in the world in female entrepreneurship (Wonder Woman Guatemala), women entrepreneurs face multiple barriers. For example, women’s exclusion from the financial system is a major factor in business failure, with only 12% of Guatemalan women having received a loan from a financial institution (World Bank).
Within this context, Pro Mujer, MEDA, and Wakami joined forces to expand their impact and support women entrepreneurs in Guatemala. As part of the WE4CA initiative, the organizations will work together to eradicate poverty by supporting the socioeconomic empowerment of more than 5,000 Central American women, mainly in Guatemala. The initiative will target rural and Indigenous communities that operate in the regenerative agriculture (with a focus on coffee) and light manufacturing (with a focus on handmade products) sectors, where 76.1% of the population is impacted by poverty and extreme poverty (INE).
The initiative will be financed by Global Affairs Canada and will be implemented over four years.
Pro Mujer will provide access to Emprende Pro Mujer, offering women the opportunity to access training and skilling opportunities. Specialized facilitators will implement workshops featuring educational content focused on digital literacy and financial education, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence prevention.
The first workshop on sexual and reproductive health has already been implemented in Guatemala, providing women with critical information to support their empowerment and personal growth.
WE4CA will also provide support to women-led enterprises, including mentoring and guidance, as well as financial support distributed via local providers. Participating women entrepreneurs will also have access to health and well-being services, including medical care and nutrition counseling.
The initiative aligns directly with Pro Mujer’s proposed goal as a member of the Partnership for Central America, an alliance led by Vice President Kamala Harris to improve the living conditions of women and their communities in the Northern Triangle.
