GUATEMALA'S NOMINEE FOR SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000248 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/IWI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL KPAO KJUS KCRM KDEM GT SUBJECT: GUATEMALA'S NOMINEE FOR SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE REF: STATE 12871 ¶1. Per reftel request, Embassy is pleased to nominate Maria Eugenia Morales, Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman, as Guatemala's "Woman of Courage" for the Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage in recognition of her exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and advancement. ¶2. Biographical information and justification for award selection: Name: Maria Eugenia Morales Title: Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman Institution: Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman Date of birth: November 19, 1947 Contact information: (502) 2424-1717 Justification: As Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman, Maria Eugenia Morales is a highly regarded and results-oriented human rights activist and one of very few women in public office in Guatemala. Among her accomplishments during her career spanning more than two decades, she has fought for women's rights and legislative reforms, including repeal of a provision that enabled rapists to marry their victims to avoid prosecution. She first served as Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman from 1991 to 1993 and was again appointed Deputy in 2002. She served from 1989 to 1993 as the first director of the Women's Rights Office in the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office, an independent body appointed by Congress to promote respect for human rights within the three branches of government. As a leader in the Labor Ministry's National Office of Women, Morales was a prominent advocate for legal reform to ensure women's rights. Focusing on combating the key elements of discrimination against women within the legal framework, she spearheaded reform of several provisions of the Civil Code, including the successful repeal of a provision that allowed rapists to marry their victims to avoid prosecution for their crimes. She served as head of the Political Science Department at the University of Rafael Landivar, her alma mater, from 1994 to 1996. Although she has received recognition from the Guatemala Lawyers Association, the University of Rafael Landivar, and the University of San Carlos for her accomplishments as one of Guatemala's most notable women lawyers, she has not been recognized by the Guatemalan government or the international community. Engaging in human rights advocacy in Guatemala, known for its climate of impunity, is a very dangerous proposition. Historically, human rights leaders have been killed for their work, and officials of the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office have received death threats. In view of this, Maria Eugenia Morales' determined efforts to promote human rights in Guatemala have been truly heroic. ¶3. Post points of contact on women's issues are: Political Officer Lucy Chang at changlm@state.gov, (502) 2326-4635, and USAID Officer Jill Kelley at JiKelley@usaid.gov, (502) 2422-4900. Derham