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On September 28, Cultural Survival and Sobrevivencia Cultural, (our sister organization in Guatemala), submitted a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), to appeal the decision of Guatemala's Constitutional Court which violates Indigenous Peoples' rights through the country's telecommunications law that excludes Indigenous Peoples from operating community radio stations.
A new bill proposed by the right-wing political party in Guatemala would criminalize the use of the radio spectrum for any actors not authorized to do so. The bill aims to take community radio stations that are fighting for legal recognition off the air.
As a result of a more than a week of protests in Guatemala, the leaders of 11 different political parties in Congress signed resolution committing to "dialogue on concrete legislative actions" on pending legislation, including bills regarding 1) Rural Development, 2) Agriculture, 3) Community Media, 4) Indigenous Rights, 5) Sacred Sites, 6) Indigenous Community Lands
The Maya Ch'orti' Indigenous Council of Olopa is fighting for recognition as Indigenous communities and for the recovery of their spirituality, the defense of their territory, and their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent to mining projects before they begin. They also seek to minimize the negative impacts of mining activity on the health of the people in their communities, denounce illegal logging, and fight against gender-based violence in their communities.
The Asociación Comunitaria de Desarrollo Integral Maya-M aims to bring community development to the Mam area through its programs in health, education, culture, agriculture and livestock, children, environment, communication, and international politics. Its current work is in education, health, and communication with young people. Their project will focus on the training of young people via a series of five workshops that will be held with community leaders and ancestral authorities.
Radio Comunitaria Naköj is an Indigenous collective and nonprofit media outlet dedicated to disseminating the cultural expressions of the Santo Domingo Xenacoj region. Through the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and thought as an Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel People, the station focuses on social and cultural issues, promoting the strengthening of the Maya Kaqchikel language among the population of Santo Domingo Xenacoj as well as the region’s cultural identity.
This project seeks to strengthen the new leadership of women and young people through the radio, encouraging their active participation at all levels to ensure the sustainability of the station and its projection in the communities. In addition, it aims to contribute to the strengthening of cultural identity by disseminating the rights, history, language, art, culture, and traditions of Indigenous Peoples.
The main activities of La Niña community radio focus on the custom and traditions of the Maya K'iche' Peoples, the promotion of the Mayan K'iche' language, the defense of life and territory, and the dissemination of human rights, particularly women's rights, with emphasis on promoting their community and political participation. The project seeks to improve the station’s transmission capability by replacing deteriorated equipment that has compromised sound and signal quality.
On April 11, 2024, Columbia Global Freedom of Expression (CGFoE) revealed the winners of the 2024 Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Prizes in the categories of Significant Legal Ruling and Excellence in Legal Services, recognizing remarkable contributions to the advancement of freedom of expression worldwide.