Red Viva has played a pivotal role in registering 8000 children since 2012 to foster the protection and safety of vulnerable children and uphold children’s right to services, including health and education in Guatemala. Over the last two years, we have built a strong partnership with the government authority RENAP, responsible for increasing birth registrations—the government is updating the agreement document for the next three years.
During the first weeks of November, hurricanes ETA and IOTA affected the North and East regions of the country one week apart, and a population of 132,826 people was concerned, of which 10,734 evacuated from the flooded areas, where entire populations disappeared., forming lagoons where their homes were. Currently, they are in shelters that enabled the member churches of the network. This has mainly affected children in these regions, who only have the clothes they wear, are without food or a home, and have lost all their belongings.
Migration and displacement along with a culture of domestic violence has resulted in the breakdown of families in Guatemala, leading children to leave their families to live on the streets. In Guatemala City alone, there are some 5,000 street children without parental care. This in turn exposes children to numerous risks. Despite protection measures by the Guatemalan government, many children continue to be victims of sexual exploitation, forced labour, trafficking, sex tourism, online pornography, and organized crime. In addition, children living on the streets face malnutrition, drug addiction, and limited access to basic health care and education.
