Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the globe.
Guatemala banned child marriage last year, but the practice continues. With an extended drought exacerbating poverty across much of the country, many poor families see daughters as a financial burden and marry them to pay off debts. In an email interview, Serena Cosgrove, an assistant professor at Seattle University, discusses women’s rights in Guatemala.
WPR: What is the current status of women’s rights and gender equality in Guatemala?