Women's Justice Initiative

What Women's Justice Initiative does

Women's Justice Initiative (WJI) is a Guatemala-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers integrated legal, educational, and gender-based violence prevention services to rural indigenous Maya Kaqchikel women and girls in the Department of Chimaltenango. The organization operates four core programs — Legal Services, Women's Rights Education, Adolescent Girls, and Community Advocates — supplemented by a 24/7 domestic violence hotline launched during COVID-19. All services are delivered in Maya Kaqchikel and Spanish by indigenous staff and trained community advocates, with mobile legal outreach, community workshops, videoconferencing for remote consults, and home visits enabling access in 148 communities. WJI has reached 65,070+ direct beneficiaries and 257,862+ indirect beneficiaries, secured judgments in gender-based violence cases (where the national rate is below 2%), and codified its methodology for replication.

WJI's revenue model is grant-and-donation based: 54% of revenue comes from institutional funders (USAID, UN Trust Fund, Tinker Foundation, Every Mother Counts, Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, Rainforest Alliance, Summit Foundation, Global Fund for Children, Avon, Together Women Rise, and others), 39% from individual donations, and 2% from corporate partnerships, with the balance from events and investment income. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The organization distributes impact through direct community-based delivery, a 24/7 hotline, videoconferencing, and a regional partnership model that transfers methodology to community-based organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and new Guatemalan regions under USAID's Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative.

In 2024, WJI launched a strategic plan — "A Just Future for Women" — that targets reaching 500,000 people by 2027 through continued geographic expansion, codification and licensing of its methodology to 100 CSOs, and organizational strengthening. The leadership team comprises Executive Director Kate Flatley (J.D., University of Virginia), Programs Director Elvia Raquec (founding team member, 2018 Women's World Summit Foundation Prize recipient), and Legal Director Viviana Patal (Maya Kaqchikel lawyer, joined 2013), with a team that has grown to 33–50 staff. WJI maintains headquarters in Patzún, Guatemala and a US mailing address in New York for tax-deductible donations.

Name

Women's Justice Initiative

Legal name

Women's Justice Initiative

Website

https://womens-justice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Women's Justice Initiative is a Guatemala-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free legal services, rights education, and gender-based violence prevention to rural indigenous Maya Kaqchikel women and girls across 148 communities in Guatemala, with regional methodology transfer to Honduras and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid and Human Rights Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF), Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Gender-based violence prevention
• Legal aid services
• Women's rights education
• Community advocates program
• Indigenous women empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Patzún

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: WJI receives significant funding from foundations including Every Mother Counts, Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, Rainforest Alliance, UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, Tinker Foundation, Summit Foundation, Global Fund for Children, Women Strong International, and others. The 2023 Annual Report notes institutions represent 54% of revenue.
2. Individual Donations: WJI receives donations from individual supporters. The 2023 Annual Report notes individuals represent 39% of revenue. The organization accepts stock donations and monthly giving options.
3. Government/USAID Funding: WJI receives funding from government sources including USAID through the Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative in Mesoamerica, and the UN Democracy Fund.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners provide pro bono legal support, match employee donations, and help raise awareness. Avon has provided grants for violence prevention campaigns. Corporations represent 2% of revenue.
5. Event Revenue (Gala): WJI hosts annual galas including the 2025 Gala to raise funds and recognize supporters. Ticket sales and donations from events contribute to revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Women's Justice Initiative provides free legal services, women's rights education, adolescent girls' empowerment, and community advocate training to indigenous Maya women and girls in rural Guatemala. All services are delivered in Maya Kaqchikel and Spanish, brought directly to communities via mobile legal outreach, supported by a 24/7 hotline and trained local peer advocates.

Product overview

The Women's Justice Initiative (WJI) operates as a unified social services organization offering four interconnected core programs designed to address gender inequality and violence against indigenous women and girls in rural Guatemala. The programs work holistically: the Women's Rights Education Program provides legal literacy; the Legal Services Program delivers free legal representation; the Community Advocates Program trains local women as peer mentors; and the Adolescent Girls Program prevents child marriage. A 24/7 domestic violence hotline supplements these services. All services are provided in the local Maya Kaqchikel language and Spanish, ensuring accessibility for indigenous communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services Program
• Women's Rights Education Program
• Adolescent Girls Program
• Community Advocates Program
• 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 65,070 individuals have participated in WJI's programs, benefiting over 257,862 people in 148 communities
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• USAID (Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021WJI joined USAID's ambitious Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative to increase women's economic empowerment and reduce gender-based violence throughout Central America. WJI provides technical assistance to community-based organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and three new regions of Guatemala.
• Together Women RisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Together Women Rise has been a transformational partner since 2018, providing grants to support expansion of the Community Advocates Program. In 2026, awarded a new grant to deliver rights education programming to more than 450 adolescent girls across twelve rural communities in the Maya Kaqchikel region.
• United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against WomencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Awarded WJI a highly competitive three-year grant in 2016 to implement the project 'Eradicating Violence against Women and Girls and Improving Access to Justice for Maya Rural Women through Culture-based Community Interventions.' Funded expansion to 18 new communities and institutional capacity building. Awarded second grant in 2021 for expansion into additional municipalities.
• Women Strong InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Supported launch of Adolescent Boys Program focusing on new masculinities, countering machismo, gender equality, and preventing violence against women. Also supported awareness workshops for parents, training for community leaders, and free legal services.
• Girls Not BridesstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWJI is a proud member of this global partnership of over 1,400 civil society organizations committed to ending child marriage. Collaborated on multimedia feature 'It Takes a Village' showcasing WJI's approach to sustainable reductions in child marriage.
• Population CouncilstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Population Council's Guatemalan office. María Isabel Mayorga serves as Research Fellow, identifying strategic partnerships related to social and behavioral science research. Prior to WJI, Programs Director Elvia Raquec worked at Population Council.
• MAIA (Maya Womens Initiative)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAIA is dedicated to uplifting Maya communities in Guatemala. Lidia Oxi serves as Co-Executive Director of MAIA. Organizations collaborate on shared mission of improving outcomes for Maya girls and women.
• Every Mother CountscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvery Mother Counts provides funding and support for maternal health and women's empowerment initiatives globally. WJI is a partner organization working to improve outcomes for indigenous women in Guatemala.
• Focus Central AmericastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership supporting work to address violence against women and girls in Central America.
• Rainforest AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn November 2021, WJI partnered with Rainforest Alliance and USAID on a regional initiative to expand women's economic empowerment and GBV prevention work across Central America.
• Kirkland & ElliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKirkland & Ellis provides pro bono legal support and raises awareness of WJI's work. The global law firm's foundation supports the organization through grants and volunteer efforts.
• Girls Opportunity AlliancestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting WJI's work to empower girls and prevent child marriage through the Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance program.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN agency partnership supporting migration-related work and protection of vulnerable populations including women and girls.
• NamatistrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWJI featured in Namati's Legal Empowerment Network book documenting successful approaches. WJI serves on Namati's Strategic Council of Latin America. Collaboration on grassroots justice innovation.
• Wuqu' KawoqminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working on health and development issues in Maya communities in Guatemala.
• WINGS GuatemalaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Guatemalan organization providing reproductive health services. WJI Executive Director Kate Flatley serves on WINGS Board of Directors.
• Creamos (Guatemala City)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based organization in Guatemala City's Zone 3 partnered with WJI to learn legal empowerment methodology. WJI led workshops on women's rights, legal frameworks, and referral pathways. Creamos now integrates GBV discussions into monthly staff meetings and has established internal referral protocols.
• Chocomer (Honduras)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-owned cocoa processing business in Honduras co-founded by Meidy Posas. Partnered with WJI through the Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative to adapt legal empowerment methodology. Now mentors other young cocoa producers and promotes GBV prevention in community.
• Ford FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted WJI at Ford Foundation headquarters in New York for panel discussion 'Feminist Grassroots Justice: Building Power Shaping Change' at the UN's 68th Annual Commission on the Status of Women.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ipas: Global NGO working at the intersection of women's reproductive rights, gender-based violence prevention, and health systems; broadly comparable in mission and beneficiary population, though much larger and more focused on clinical and policy interventions.

Direct peers

• MADRE: US-based women's rights NGO that partners with indigenous women-led organizations globally on health, gender-based violence, and economic empowerment; directly comparable to WJI's model of community-delivered women's rights programming with grassroots indigenous leadership.
• Namati: Global legal empowerment network that has featured WJI in its Latin America practitioner book and on its Strategic Council; directly comparable as a grassroots justice organization that trains community-based paralegals and shares methodologies across borders.
• Center for Reproductive Rights: Global legal advocacy organization using the law to advance women's reproductive rights and gender equality; comparable to WJI's combination of legal services, litigation support, and rights-based advocacy for women in Latin America.
• International Indigenous Women's Forum (FIMI): Indigenous women-led global advocacy organization advancing indigenous women's rights and political participation; comparable to WJI in mission focus and grassroots indigenous leadership, though operating at a more advocacy-and-policy-oriented level.
• MAIA (Maya Women's Initiative): Guatemala-based organization dedicated to uplifting Maya girls and women through education and leadership development; WJI's closest local peer in terms of mission, geography, and indigenous-led programmatic model, with overlapping leadership partnerships.

Emerging players

• Tostan: Africa-based organization implementing holistic, community-led empowerment programs covering rights, health, and economic empowerment; highly comparable to WJI's holistic four-program model and Community Advocate-style local leadership approach, though operating in a different geography.

Others

• Together Women Rise: US-based women's collective giving organization that has been a transformational grant partner to WJI since 2018 and awarded a 2026 grant to expand adolescent girls programming; comparable as a peer funder in the women's empowerment grantmaking space.
• Population Council: Global research organization focused on sexual and reproductive health, gender, and poverty; comparable to WJI in thematic focus and has a documented research partnership with WJI's Programs Director.

Regional players

• Wuqu' Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance: Guatemalan NGO providing health, education, and language services to Maya communities; directly comparable as a peer in the Maya Kaqchikel ecosystem, with overlapping partnerships and a similar culturally embedded service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wmnsjusticeinit
• Facebookfacebook.com/womensjusticeguate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womensjustice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women's Justice Initiative