Defending rights for Buen Vivir

Sacatepéquez, Guatemala

Asociación Femenina para el Desarrollo de Sacatepéquez (AFEDES), or Women’s Association for the Development of Sacatepéquez is a group composed mostly of indigenous Mayan Kaqchikel women living in the municipalities and communities in the state of Sacatepéquez and three communities in the village of Xesuj in San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango.

As AFEDES, they fight for and defend rights and aspire to live a full life – free from oppression, free from violence, discrimination, racism, and exclusion. Their primary goal is Utz ‘K’aslemal (Buen Vivir, or life in fullness or, good living) for women and their families. AFEDES promotes food sovereignty, political education, and building human capacities, including training in indigenous weaving as part of indigenous traditional knowledge. Recently, AFEDES was successful in introducing a bill in Congress to collectively recognize and compensate the intellectual property rights of Indigenous Peoples weavings.