Empowering Indigenous Women in Guatemala: A Case Study of the Role of Digital Community Centers in Enhancing Digital Literacy and Changing Gender Perspectives in Northern Huehuetenango

Nereyda Y Ortiz Osejo Susana Arrechea ^* Alejandro Alvarado

• New Sun Road, California, United States

This study examines how Digital Community Centers (DCCs) contribute to the empowerment of indigenous Mayan women in Northern Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Although rural and indigenous communities remain largely excluded from digitalization, the DCC model aims to narrow the digital gap by providing internet access, basic computer training, and workshops on positive masculinities. We employed a mixed-methods approach, combining semi-structured focus groups (n=10) and surveys (n=43) that assessed digital literacy and attitudes toward gender roles via two scales (GNDR-4 and GEM). Results show that women's digital skills improved significantly after a short training period, enabling them to reduce travel time for essential tasks (e.g., processing government documents) and to initiate small economic activities, such as operating communal refrigerators for popsicle sales. At the same time, men who participated in the positive masculinities sessions reported more equitable views on women's leadership and decision-making roles. Despite these gains, participants stressed ongoing barriers-most notably limited infrastructure, constrained financial resources, and insufficient institutional support-that hamper the long-term viability of the DCCs. They also noted a need for more detailed and standardized training on gender topics to sustain changes in attitudes over time. In conclusion, DCCs offer a promising strategy for bridging the digital divide and facilitating women's socio-economic participation, but further research with larger samples and longer follow-up periods is warranted to confirm and expand upon these initial findings.