Still at Risk - Death and Disappearance of Survivors of the fire at Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción

On March 7, 2017, a group of girls, boys and teenagers protested the physical and sexual abuse, rape and trafficking that they were subjected to at the institution Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asuncion (Virgen de la Asuncion), in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Virgen de la Asuncion was a public institution where up to 800 children were detained prior to these protests. The authorities of Virgen de la Asuncion called on the National Police to repress the protests. As a punishment, the girls who had protested were beaten and locked up in a tiny auditorium with a capacity for 26 people standing, without a bathroom and access to water, where they were left to spend the night.

Todavía en riesgo - Muerte y desaparición de sobrevivientes del incendio del Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción

El 7 de marzo de 2017, un grupo de niñas, niños y adolescentes iniciaron una protesta por el abuso físico y sexual, violación y trata a los que eran sometidos en la institución Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción (Virgen de la Asunción), en la Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala. Virgen de la Asunción era una institución pública donde hasta 800 niños se encontraban detenidos antes de estas protestas. Las autoridades de Virgen de la Asunción llamaron a la Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) para reprimir las protestas. Como castigo por haber protestado, un grupo de 56 niñas fue encerrado en un pequeño cuarto con capacidad para 26 personas de pie, sin baño y sin acceso a agua, donde las dejaron pasar la noche.

Protecting Psychiatric Patients in Guatemala from COVID-19

Disability Rights International y el Colectivo Vida Independiente de Guatemala (en adelante “las peticionarias” o DRI o el Colectivo, respectivamente) presentan la siguiente solicitud a la Honorable Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (en adelante “la Comisión”, “la Comisión Interamericana” o “CIDH”), para solicitar la extensión de las medidas cautelares MC-370-12, de conformidad con el artículo 25 del Reglamento de la CIDH y el artículo 1.1 de la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos (en adelante “la Convención” o “CADH”).

Urgent Appeal to UN Special Rapporteur on Disability

Disability Rights International and the Colectivo Vida Independiente de Guatemala appeal to request immediate life-saving protections for people detained at the National Mental Health facility “Federico Mora” (Federico Mora) in Guatemala City, Guatemala. People with disabilities detained at the “Federico Mora” face an imminent risk of sickness and death as a result of the authorities’ reckless exposure of detainees to the spread of the virus COVID-19, the failure to provide medical care, and their continued unlawful and unnecessary detention in the facility.

Still in Harms Way

This report documents the human rights violations, exploitation, and trafficking of children with and without disabilities in Guatemala. Guatemala has failed to create the protections and support needed to help children live with a family – especially children with disabilities. DRI is also concerned that private charities and international donors are supporting orphanages and perpetuating discrimination. International support – including “voluntourism” – leaves children open to segregation, abuse, and further exploitation by traffickers.

Todavía en peligro

Este informe documenta violaciones a derechos humanos, explotación y trata de niñas, niños y adolescentes con y sin discapacidad en instituciones Guatemala. Guatemala no ha creado las protecciones y el apoyo necesarios para evitar que niñas, niños y adolescentes, especialmente aquellos con discapacidad y viviendo en condiciones de pobreza, terminen en instituciones. A Disability Rights International (DRI) le preocupa que organizaciones privadas y donantes internacionales, en lugar de apoyar a las familias, están apoyando instituciones. El apoyo internacional, incluyendo el "volunturismo,” a instituciones expone a las niñas, niños y adolescentes a segregación, abuso, explotación y trata.

DRI releases new report on Guatemala - voluntourism, abuse, trafficking

Guatemala City – July 16, 2018 – Disability Rights International (DRI), along with Colectivo Vida Independiente de Guatemala and the Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman, today released a report documenting the human rights violations, abuse and trafficking of children in orphanages and institutions across the country. “The Guatemalan government has failed to protect children from family separation and has neglected to provide the supports needed for families to keep their children – especially children with disabilities,” said Priscila Rodriquez, DRI Associate Director.

Victory in Guatemala - right to live in the community

Guatemala City - August 9, 2017 - After years of abuse, violence, and exploitation in orphanages and psychiatric institutions, Guatemala must take urgent action to return children to their families and psychiatric detainees to the community, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights stated in a press statement released this weekend during a visit in Guatemala.