“None of this would be possible without the support and incessant work of the more than 45 associations that are affiliated with the AFI, which every day work for life from conception and in all its stages, as well as for the well-being of families, women, children, youths, adolescents and the elderly. This year alone, all the associations together impacted more than 3.5 million people!” the AFI said.
Finally, the organization noted that "Guatemalan society has spoken countless times in support of life and family, as in the mass marches of 2013, 2018 and recently the caravan in 2021."
"We will continue working tirelessly so that Guatemala continues to be the pro-life capital of Latin America!" the AFI statement concluded.
Other government efforts to help children
In his speech, President Giammattei said another "great effort of his Government" revolves around "preventing malnutrition in children, improving social programs and food security and promoting the Great Crusade for Nutrition that will allow a public-private effort to respond to this scourge.”
“Children represent the most precious treasure of a country, since they represent the future. Guatemala has taken special interest in them, especially the forced labor to which they can be subjected,” he said.
The Guatemalan government has already implemented the "National Strategy for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Adolescent Workers." The strategy’s action plan covers the years 2021 to 2025 in conjunction with the General Government Policy, which seeks the implementation of strategic actions, strengthening inter-institutional coordination and intersectoral alliances, on the national level, and by establishing commitment with local and municipal governments.
In addition, the government of Guatemala each year has carried out awareness campaigns about the importance of ending child labor, which is why each year the World Day Against Child Labor is observed.
“It is important to mention that the different efforts of the State of Guatemala to eradicate child labor has allowed it to be recognized by the Department of Labor of the United States of America, for four years, as one of the countries with significant progress in the fight against child labor,” Giammattei noted in his speech.
This story was originally published in Spanish by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language sister news agency. It has been translated by CNA.
Diego Lopez Marina has a degree in Communication Sciences with a specialization in journalism from the University of San Martín de Porres (Peru). He began his professional career in 2015, as an editor for the Journalistic Archive area of the Diario El Comercio. In 2016 he began working as an writer for ACI Prensa and since 2018 he has been working as a web editor.