ABOUT

Guatemala is known for its beautiful, hand-woven textiles. Mayan women learn this craft from a young age and the designs are passed down through generations. But their art has come under threat from companies and foreign designers who are copying their designs and mass-producing them.

AFEDES, which represents indigenous women in Guatemala, is fighting for collective intellectual property rights for Mayan textile designs. Their fight is also giving a voice to the indigenous communities who have been historically marginalised in Guatemala.