The Population Council is recognized in Guatemala for developing and refining non-formal educational opportunities for rural adolescent girls through the Abriendo Oportunidades program which was awarded the UNFPA medal. The Council has raised the profile of Mayan girls in the development of policies for young people at the national and municipal level.
The Council has designed and coordinated internships with partner organizations like the National Office for the Defense of Indigenous Women and the Office of the Vice President to train young indigenous women and provide them with life skills, livelihoods, and better job prospects. The Council has also supported grassroots women organizations to achieve sustainable change and analyzed the ways in which indigenous peoples adapt to climate change and poverty.
