Pro Mujer Inc.

12/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/17/2024 22:00

The “Economic Growth: Cultivating Entrepreneurship and Resilience” project successfully concludes in Guatemala

The "Economic Growth: Cultivating Entrepreneurship and Resilience" project successfully concludes in Guatemala

In recent years, Guatemala has become an important point of both origin and destination for migrants. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 235,000 migrants were returned to Guatemala from the United States and Mexico, of which 29.5% were women, according to data from the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM).

The main reasons behind migration flows are economic, such as unemployment, the search for better working conditions, or lack of resources to cover basic needs (94%); followed by violence (1%); climate and the environment (4%); and other (12%), according to a report preparedby the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the MIT Civic Data Design Lab.

With the aim of addressing the structural origin of this phenomenon, Pro Mujer launched the project Economic Growth: Cultivating Entrepreneurship and Resilience (CRECER in Spanish), seeking to promote entrepreneurship as a tool for prosperity, through courses and awareness-raising activities aimed at entrepreneurs and local organizations focused on migration. This initiative took place within the framework of the IOM project 'Addressing the root causes of irregular migration in Guatemala' supported by USAID.

Since mid-2023, 15 organizations, 14 social leaders, and 520 peoplehave directly benefited from a participatory methodology designed by Pro Mujer to integrate components of decent work, human rights, entrepreneurship, and prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) into local actions, to directly influence the root causes of irregular migration in the country.

In addition, the Emprende Pro Mujerplatform, which provides tools for entrepreneurship in a virtual and semi-in-person manner, added 17 new groups with 379 Guatemalan women and 33 men, who were successfully trained in personal leadership and business management. In order to provide an additional boost to entrepreneurial development, 30 of the participants received a seed capital grant in kind to use toward their business.

The hope is that through powerful partnerships such as the one recently concluded with the IOM, Pro Mujer will be able to continue contributing to progress toward gender equality and improve the living conditions of women in particularly vulnerable conditions, such as those involved in migratory situations.

About Pro Mujer

Pro Mujer is a non-profit social enterprise that for more than 34 years has been providing services and tools to women in Latin America so that they may reach their full potential, improve their living conditions, and become change agents for their communities.

It operates through a holistic and comprehensive model that seeks to expand women's access to health services in the region, increase their financial inclusion, and provide training opportunities.

Through a deep understanding of the most pressing needs faced by women in Latin America, Pro Mujer designs innovative programs that aim to address issues such as gender-based violence and the digital gender gap. Pro Mujer is a pioneer in the region in promoting and raising awareness about Gender Lens Investing as an effective mechanism to close gaps and drive business productivity.

The efforts of Pro Mujer are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, effectively delivering tangible results in eight SDGs, specifically goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, and 16.

More information at www.promujer.org.

About IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), established in 1951, is part of the United Nations system and is the principal intergovernmental body in the field of migration.

With 175 Member States, 8 Observer States, and offices in 171 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all people. To fulfill this mission, the organization supports migrants around the world by formulating effective responses to changing migration dynamics and by providing advice on migration-related policies and practices.

About USAID

USAID leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people thrive beyond aid.

American foreign aid has always had the dual purpose of promoting U.S. interests and improving the lives of developing countries. USAID carries out the foreign policy of the United States, promoting human progress on a large scale while expanding stable and free societies, creating markets and trading partners for the United States, and fostering goodwill abroad.

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