This landmark UN Women research paper examines the historic Sepur Zarco case in Guatemala, a groundbreaking prosecution that recognized conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), sexual slavery and domestic slavery as serious international crimes. Drawing on extensive interviews, court records and expert analysis, the publication documents the survivor-centred legal, advocacy and psychosocial strategies that contributed to accountability for Maya Q’eqchi’ women and generated important lessons for future justice processes.
The report explores how survivors, civil society organizations, prosecutors, judges and international partners worked together to pursue justice, challenge impunity and secure transformative reparations. It highlights good practices in documenting conflict-related sexual violence, protecting survivors during legal proceedings, building strategic alliances, and advancing gender-responsive accountability mechanisms.
The publication also examines the wider impact of the Sepur Zarco judgment on survivors, communities, reparations policy, and subsequent conflict-related sexual violence cases in Guatemala and beyond. The findings offer valuable guidance for practitioners, policymakers, researchers and justice actors working on accountability, transitional justice and survivor-centred approaches.
Read more about this resource here.
Explore the executive summary in Q’eqchi’ and the report in Spanish.
Download the Ensglish version below: