Ada Morales holds a portrait of her daughter Luz María del Rocío López, after a court sentenced her daughter’s killer to 50 years in prison in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The murder of Luz María sparked outrage in the country and mobilized support for justice.
In Latin America, Guatemala ranks among the countries with the highest rates of violence against women. In 2008, Guatemala adopted laws to counter femicide and violence against women. As a result, the country established its first Femicide Courts several years later, increasing the prosecution and conviction of gender-based violence cases. However, despite these efforts, the country still faces significant challenges, as 652 violent crimes against women were reported in 2021, and over 20,000 complaints of violence against women were made in the same year.