The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - Unesco- the Department of International Law of the Organization of American States -OAS-, the Carter Center and the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman of Guatemala - PDH- organized the workshop Public Information Available to All: The Exercise of the Right of Access and the Gender Perspective, held on Tuesday, July 26 in Guatemala City. 

This activity was a space to reflect on the latest international standards regarding the right of access to public information with a gender perspective, identify systemic barriers that disproportionately harm women, and explore areas of opportunity to incorporate into the legal framework and national practice norms and policies that help end these disparities.

Based on the OAS Inter-American Model Law 2.0 on Access to Public Information and considering Unesco’s recently published report "Promotion of Gender Equity in the Right of Access to Information", the workshop also included panels and working groups aimed at proposing specific solutions to the main challenges that women face in the different Departments of Guatemala when seeking access to public information.

Officials from Guatemala’s Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM), the Office of the Defender for Indigenous Women (DEMI), the Presidential Commission on Open and Electronic Government, and the Presidential Commission against Corruption also participated in the workshop.

The conclusions of the 40 participants, mainly women from different parts of the country, highlighted the importance of the authorities having local outposts that provide attention to the public living far from the main urban centers; the desirability of having mobile access to information units at places and times that accommodate the needs of women, particularly those engaged in formal work in addition to domestic work; sensitization of the officials of the access units so that they have greater empathy and judgment; and ensuring cultural and linguistic relevance.

» To visit the Department of International Law (DIL) website, click here.

» To learn about out work on Access to Public Information, click here.