Guatemalans Celebrate Mayan New Year (Latina Lista)

http://latinalista.com/2012/02/guatemalans-celebrate-the-start-of-the-last-mayan-new-year-before-ancient-calendar-ends-dec-21-2012

From Nostradamus to Y2K, end-of-the-world prophesies are nothing new. This year, the ancient Mayans find themselves at the center of the Doomsday hype with conspiracy theorists and New Age authors all profiting greatly from the belief that the world will end on December 21, 2012.

However, it’s not the apocalyptic vision that Hollywood has projected onto moviegoers that native Mayans anticipate. Rather, it’s the awakening of a new era of hope that Mayans believe is signaled in the sacred Mayan calendar, as the 13 B’Aktum cycle comes to a close.

Today, February 22, marks the start of the Mayan New Year – the last one ahead of the aforementioned date – and celebrations are taking place across the country to commemorate the occasion.

After five days of meditation, purification and gratitude to prepare for the New Year, Mayans will gather together with their elders to feast and recite stories about their past. Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina is even travelling to Iximché, Tecpan Chimaltenango, to participate in events there.

According to scholars, the Mayans never spoke about the end of the world, but of a transformation that will start next December and bring about the end of a period of sun that has lasted for over 5,000 years.

“Unfortunately the world is accustomed to liking the morbid concept of the final apocalypse – these themes sell and many people have made money off of this type of declaration,” says Mayan priest, Julio David Menchú. “But it will be a new era, which will bring with it a unity between mankind and Mother Nature; she will support us and we won’t contaminate her anymore.”

Dating back to 2000 BC across Mesoamerica, the Mayan civilization was one of the most important in history. Famous for their impressive knowledge of astronomy and math, the Mayans kept what many believe to be the most accurate calendar in the world.

Through observing and noting the movement and position of the sun, they left written messages charting the change of each era, and it is with these messages that archaeologists and anthropologists have been able to uncover important dates in the sacred Mayan calendar. 

“This date [December 21] is based on inscriptions or hieroglyphics, which were found in Quiriguá, Guatemala,” says Menchú.

Close to 10 million descendants of Mayans still live in Central America and the majority of them are expected to celebrate the New Year today.

“The day before the change, you clean and tidy your house, decorate the altar, change tablecloths, decorate the floor with pine needles and burn incense,” says Menchú. “On the day of the change we get together with ajq’ijab’ (spiritual guides) and have a big ceremony where we dance to the sound of the marimba, burn materials in a sacred fire, share food and discuss how to behave in the coming year.”

Mayans reportedly follow three types of calendars: the sacred calendar that has 260 days, the agricultural or civilian calendar that has 365 days and a 5,125 year cycle. It is this final cycle that will be coming to a close on winter solstice, December 21, 2012.

Giving new life to old American school buses in Guatemala is subject of documentary premiering at SXSW (Latina Lista)

http://latinalista.com/2012/02/giving-new-life-to-old-american-school-buses-in-guatemala-is-subject-of-documentary-premiering-at-sxsw

The yellow school bus has long been an iconic symbol of North American culture, transporting hundreds of thousands of students to school each day across the length and breadth of the United States. But what happens to these distinct vehicles once they’re deemed unfit for service?

Mark Kendall’s new documentary, La Camioneta, finds out – following a decommissioned school bus from the graveyard, a Pennsylvanian auction, to the afterlife, Guatemala. The film documents the transformation from safe, law-abiding means of transport, to garish, anything-goes camioneta (bus).

Having recently graduated from a Master’s program in Latin American studies, Kendall came across the idea for the documentary while riding on a camioneta during his first trip to Guatemala two years ago.

“I struck up a conversation with one of the drivers and my curiosity was piqued when he told me the camioneta we were on came from a school district in Tennessee, just 20 miles from where I was living at the time. He and his nephew had bought the bus and driven it down to Guatemala a few years ago,” says the young filmmaker.

Travelling over 3,000 miles, and across two borders, to the highlands of Guatemala, La Camioneta explores personal stories about migration, exchange and connectedness. Stripped of its uniform yellow paint and redesigned, the former school bus begins its new life transporting people around the Central American nation.

“This is a film about people in motion. The story centers around the journeys that each of the characters in the film are making in their lives, and how the camioneta is the place where all of these journeys intersect – for better or for worse,” says Kendall.

However, filming a documentary within Guatemala’s violent public transportation industry was never going to be easy. Each year hundreds of bus drivers and their assistants are murdered throughout the country for failing to pay the extortion tax demanded by gangs who control bus routes. 

Since the route Kendall and his team were filming on, Rutas Quetzal, had refused to pay the Christmas bonus demanded by the gangs it consequently became the target of an unprecedented wave of violence – making the recording process even more dangerous.

“We knew cameras wouldn’t be welcome if they showed up in the wrong place without permission, and we wanted to be sure not to put anyone involved with the film at risk,” admits Kendall. “We made it clear [to the Rutas Quetzal leadership] that we were not there to investigate crimes or expose secrets, and I think that was a smart decision.”

Kendall’s first-ever documentary, La Camioneta, has its global premiere next month at one of the biggest film festivals in the world, the annual South by Southwest Film Conference and Music Festival, in Austin, Texas.

“I’m absolutely thrilled. South by Southwest will be a fantastic place to launch the film, and we’re all really excited to share it with audiences there in March,” says Kendall.

Guatemala launches Zero Hunger Campaign (Latina Lista)

http://latinalista.com/2012/02/guatemala-launches-hunger-zero-program-to-combat-chronic-malnutrition-in-over-one-million-children-in-the-country

This week sees the launch of President Otto Pérez Molina’s Hambre Cero (Zero Hunger) program, which aims to reduce chronic malnutrition throughout Guatemala.

The program will be officially inaugurated on Thursday, February 16, in the village of San Juan Atitán, in the north-western department of Huehuetenango, which has the highest rate of child malnutrition in the country at 91 percent. Hambre Cero will initially target eight of the Central American nation’s poorest municipalities before later spreading nationwide to 166.

With approximately 1,014,000 children living with chronic malnutrition and 12,000 with acute malnutrition, some parts of Guatemala have higher rates of the dietary condition than Africa. Through this program the government aims to dramatically reduce the number of children suffering from nutritional deficiency, as well as create new jobs and develop private investment in the poorest districts.

Hambre Cero will consist of 13 elements, one of which is called “The 1,000 Days Window of Opportunity” and will support mothers from pregnancy up until their child is 2-years-old – ensuring that they both have access to a healthy diet. Other projects include mobile canteens and the implementation of nutritional education programs in public schools.

The campaign, which will be monitored by several government departments and headed up by Vice President Roxana Baldetti, is estimated to cost around $250 million.

Tackling extreme hunger was one of President Otto Pérez Molina’s original campaign promises, alongside increasing security and financial reform and the retired general addressed each of these issues in his inauguration speech last month.

Talking to Guatemalan newspaper, Prensa Libre, Otto Pérez Molina said: “The past government allowed children to die of hunger; we won’t allow this to happen.”

Malnutrition currently affects one in every two children in Guatemala, manifesting itself in stunted growth, lowered IQ scores and death.

Guatemalans March Against Domestic Violence (The Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/gallery/2012/jan/27/guatemala-americas#/?picture=384951496&index=0

Around 12,000 people climbed an inactive volcano near the capital, Guatemala City, this week to protest against domestic violence in the country.Groups of people gathered in the village of Santa María de Jesús, about 50km south-west of Guatemala City to begin the five-hour ascent to the peak of Volcán de Agua (Water Volcano).

Participants scaled various heights of the 3,765m volcano to promote the campaign Rompe el Ciclo (Break the Cycle).

Volcán de Agua has been dormant since the mid-16th century, but continues to dominate the local landscape. The trail to its summit consists of a forest, coffee crops and solidified lava.

Guatemalans of all ages turned up to show their support for the movement – including disabled people.

Participants formed an 11.5km human chain – one of the longest ever worldwide – from the foothills of Volcán de Agua to the summit.

Participants gathered inside the crater on a giant heart banner and shouted: ‘No to violence’.

An estimated 700 women are murdered each year in Guatemala, and prosecutors receive more than 65,000 complaints of domestic violence annually.Guatemala’s new president, Otto Pérez Molina, arrived at the rally by helicopter. He promised to continue fighting against crime and violence in Guatemala, which has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America.

Lorena Rizza de Flores climbed part of the volcano with her husband and their two young children.‘We decided to take part in the event because we don’t want any more violence in Guatemala,’ she said.

The view from the summit.

Thousands of Guatemalans climb extinct volcano to protest domestic violence (Latina Lista)

http://latinalista.com/2012/01/thousands-of-guatemalans-climb-extinct-volcano-to-protest-domestic-violence

GUATEMALA — Around 12,000 Guatemalans climbed an extinct volcano on Saturday, January 21, 2012, to protest against domestic violence in the Central American country.

Participants formed what they hope is the largest ever human chain, which went from the foothills of Volcán Agua to its crater. The first group of people arrived in the village of Santa Maria de Jesus, on the outskirts of la Antigua Guatemala, at 4.30am and began the five hour ascent to the volcano’s 3,765m peak.

Amongst those taking part in the activity was Guatemala’s new president, Otto Pérez Molina, who arrived on the scene by helicopter and handed the national flag to the event’s coordinators. The flag was passed up to the top of the volcano where those at the crater sat on a giant heart banner and shouted: “No to violence.”

The event, Subida por la Vida (Climb For life), was organized to raise awareness of domestic violence and promote the campaign Rompe el Ciclo (Break the Cycle).

According to the United Nations, Guatemala has one of the highest murder rates in the world and many parts of the country are considered more dangerous now than they were during the 1960-1996 Civil War. Last year alone, nearly 700 women were murdered.

People of all ages and abilities turned up to show their support for the movement – including a group of disabled children, a 75-year-old woman and hundreds of foreigners who all made their way up the volcano.

Lorena Rizza de Flores scaled part of the volcano with her husband and their two young children:

“We decided to take part in the event because we don’t want any more violence in Guatemala,” said Rizza de Flores. “Today we only climbed seven kilometers with the children, but next year we hope to climb more.”

The second event in the series of activities organized by Rompe el Ciclo is called “Tengo algo que dar” (I have something to give) and will take place on April 28-29 to raise awareness of malnourished children across Guatemala.

Creamos: Turning Trash into Treasure (The Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/dec/23/guatemalan-women-recycling-rubbish

For most people, cereal packets are cereal packets, milk cartons are milk cartons and newspapers are newspapers. However, for the women of Creamos, old magazines and cardboard boxes are an opportunity to escape their lives of poverty in Guatemala City.

Creamos, which means “let’s believe” and “we create” in Spanish, started out as a small crafts workshop teaching women from an adult literacy programme how to make jewellery from recycled materials. Three years later, the after-school club has become a thriving, independent business, which has just started exporting to the US.

The project, focused on sustainable commerce, consists of 25 mothers who are all learning to read and write at an organisation that works with the community around Guatemala City’s rubbish dump.

The mothers, many of whom used to make a living scavenging on the dump, study at the project for two hours a day and create jewellery at home to provide flexibility in caring for their children. Once a week they come together for a meeting where they turn in their work, conduct peer reviews and receive a payout from the previous week’s sales.

“I’m always learning things here,” says Annabelle Son Hernandez, a member of Creamos. “In the past, doors have closed on us but now they are opening. I feel so happy, my self-esteem has increased and I don’t have to go back to the rubbish dump any more.”

Each unique piece of jewellery is made from recycled materials donated by local schools and businesses, or collected by the women themselves, and finished off with shop bought beads and clasps. The final products are sold at events, in participating stores and at Creamos’s own shop, which is staffed by members of the project.

With its emphasis on applied education, Creamos uses the maths and literacy the group learns in the classroom: each woman prices up their product, calculating materials used against their own labour costs.

“The women make an average of 65% more selling their jewellery than they did working on the rubbish dump,” says Emily Coffin, one of two volunteers at Creamos. “There they would start work as early as possible and finish as late as possible, or until they had earned enough money to feed their kids. But here it’s lucrative – they have flexible working hours, it’s safe, and they can work from home.”

Through the project the women also receive free day care for their children, access to a medical clinic, two meals a day, and classes on nutrition and financial planning.

Predatory lending, combined with low adult literacy, is a big problem in Guatemala and often people sign contracts without understanding them. Many of the women in Creamos have fallen victim to this fraudulent practice; co-signing on a friend’s purchase on credit and then finding themselves responsible for paying it. Bad credit ratings mean it is difficult for them to open bank accounts, making it difficult for them to save. On payday most of the members used to hide their wages in their houses, which regularly got broken in to, or spend it before neighbourhood gangs had the chance steal it.

To combat this problem, Creamos set up an internal savings scheme where members could deposit any amount of their pay cheque and draw on it when needed.

“It’s been really exciting to see. One woman was even able to save up enough money to pay off her debts and open up a real bank account,” says Coffin.

Offering more than just financial security, Creamos also supports personal development through peer reviews, where the women evaluate each other’s work and implement quality control measures.

“Almost all of these women are survivors of domestic violence and aren’t used to being able to voice their own opinions, so it’s great to see them feeling confident enough to say what they think,” says Coffin.

From a fun crafts workshop, Creamos has become a resource for entrepreneurship, which has enabled its members to escape the dangers of working in central America’s largest garbage dump. “It’s exciting to see how successful the project has become and it’s up to the women where we go from here,” insists Coffin.

Off The Beaten Track: Jalapa (Revue)

If Sacatepequez boasts La Antigua Guatemala, Alta Verapaz offers Semuc Champey and within Peten’s jungles lie the impressive ruins of Tikal, El Mirador and other ancient cities, what exactly is there to see and do in the department of Jalapa?

Answer: extreme adventure combined with biodiversity!

Just over two hours outside of Guatemala City, hidden in the subtropical mountains of Jalapa, sits Cascadas de Tatasirire, a solar-fuelled retreat in an ecological park bursting with activity. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the acres of beautifully preserved forest are filled with outdoor entertainment for all ages: swings, canopies, waterfalls and rappelling.

Declared a “protected area” in 2003 by Guatemala’s environmental body CONAP (Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas), the eco-park is a sanctuary of flora and fauna which uses its natural environment to fuse recreation with low-impact tourism. The innovative project champions rural development and gives a unique insight into the surrounding indigenous cultures of the Xinka people who co-exist alongside the Pocoman and Ladino communities.

The main attraction is the course of 12 swings spread throughout the forest, offering various levels of aerial exhilaration. Threading yourself through ropes and launching off each of the platforms, you feel like Tarzan swinging through the forest–just remember to hold on with both hands as some swings are 6-12 meters above the ground!

Next step is to brave the canopies: Strap on your harness and weave through the various types of trees on a zipline, which gives you a unique view of the nature, complete with six waterfalls and rivers that enhance the beauty of this park. There is even a mini-canopy specially designed for children. And if you still want more, try rappelling down Tatasirire’s waterfalls–be prepared to get wet!

More than just an adventure park, Cascadas de Tatasirire is a place to rest, recharge your batteries and try your hand at something new. Although you’ll need your own car or private shuttle to get there, since there’s no direct access by bus, the journey to Jalapa is serene: meandering through pueblos as you climb up through the mountains to the Natural Reserve in Cerro Miramundo.

With a five-story log cabin for lodging and plenty of ground for keen campers, it’s a haven for city dwellers or backpackers looking to escape the beaten track. Just don’t expect the Ritz–this is basic accommodation, utilizing waterfalls for showering, that puts you right at the heart of nature. While the tienda stocks basics like soup and biscuits, it’s best to bring your own food and ask for the camping stove to cook it on.

At 2,300 meters above sea level, temperatures plummet at night so bring a sleeping bag and a thick pair of socks. The communal space offers hammocks and an eating area where you can sit out late into the night and listen to the sounds of the forest. However, since the lodge runs on solar energy, it is advisable to pack some candles as it gets dark between 6 and 7 p.m.

Prices are very reasonable and vary on the type of package you choose. You can pay anywhere from Q60, which includes entrance fee and access to the swings, to Q300, which includes entrance fee, all the activities and a couple of nights’ accommodation (note payments in cash only).

Visit www.cascadasdetatasirire.com for more details.

Time’s Up For Guatemala’s Ex-President (New Internationalist)

http://www.newint.org/blog/2011/11/24/guatemala-president-portillo-extradition/

About 10 years ago, a man stole some money: US$70 million to be precise. In most countries he would have been quickly arrested and brought to trial, but Guatemala isn’t like most countries, and the man in question isn’t like most men.

Alfonso Portillo is Guatemala’s former president, but since courts in his homeland appear unable to make allegations stick on people with influence, he has so far avoided accusations of money-laundering. However, other countries are lining up with separate charges of corruption against him and it seems as though the ex-leader’s luck is running out.

Guatemala’s current president, Alvaro Colom, has agreed to extradite Portillo to the US where he stands accused of fraud and money-laundering through US banks – including one alleged instance where he deposited $1.5 million, donated by Taiwan to buy schoolbooks for Guatemalan children, in Miami and transferred it to a Paris account in the name of his then wife and daughter.

Colom revealed his decision last week, saying he had decided to allow the extradition because: ‘The president should not put his hands on the decisions of judges and magistrates.’

In a written statement, the US Embassy in Guatemala said it ‘welcomes the decision of President Alvaro Colom and the government of Guatemala to promote justice and security’.

‘The Guatemalan authorities have sent a clear message that nobody is above the law,’ the statement said.
In 2000 Portillo came to power promising a scrupulous government investigation into corruption, but many consider his four year administration to be the ‘most corrupt’ in Guatemala’s recent history and accuse him of stealing millions from Guatemala’s Defence Ministry.

Although Portillo has always denied the accusations, his behaviour suggests otherwise. When his political immunity was revoked at the end of his one-term policy, he fled to Mexico and, following a long legal battle, was extradited back to Guatemala in 2008 to face embezzlement charges at home. He was later caught trying to flee the country by boat.

Many hailed his capture as a victory for justice, seeing it as an opportunity to test the effectiveness of recent reforms to the country’s judicial system. However, the Central American nation failed to deliver, and the former president was acquitted of corruption charges – amid what many have described as damning evidence of his guilt.

In one instance, a Costa Rican prosecutor, who found two ex-presidents in his own country guilty of corruption, said the evidence against Portillo was stronger than in either of those cases.

Although a date has not yet been given for when Portillo might be sent to the north, the decision to extradite the former president has had a varied response. Some Guatemalans are pleased Portillo will be tried in a New York court, believing that US courts are more committed to punishing criminals than are their courts at home. Others say it is unconstitutional to extradite him to the US and that they would prefer that he was found guilty in a Guatemalan court and punished in a Guatemalan prison. However, so far, the country’s fractured judicial system has prevented this from happening.

Made In Guatemala (Revue Magazine)

For most people, home is where the heart is; but for Gerri and George Chester, home is where Guatemala is — whether they’re in Florida or in La Antigua Guatemala.

Tired of moving around every few years for work, the retired Foreign Service Officers decided to set up house in Florida, just over 10 years ago, and build their dream home where they could keep their boat and sail to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. However, having worked for the U.S. embassy in Guatemala City, the couple weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the country they had called home for the previous six years.

“We fell in love with it here,” admits Gerri. “It was our last overseas assignment, our kids grew up here, and we just loved the Spanish colonial-style houses.”

Frustrated with what they could find in the U.S., the former diplomats started searching for inspiration for their dream house around the streets of Antigua.

“We went through all these magazines looking for ideas, but couldn’t find anything,” says George. “Then we went over to a friend’s house that was designed by [Guatemalan architect] Franklin Contreras; we saw it, and immediately wanted one.”

Not wishing to waste any time, the Chesters flew Contreras, who designed Casa de los Leones in Antigua, up to Florida to walk over their lot and see what he could come up with. A couple of days later, he sketched something on the back of an envelope and so the project began.

“Franklin’s unbelievable,” insists George. “He provided the spark; starting with a clear piece of paper he designed everything. We could have purchased furniture in the U.S., but we only wanted Franklin — the man’s a magician.”

Once draftsmen had translated the initial design to meet Florida’s codes, building work started on the custom built four-bedroom home and just over a year later, in Christmas 2001, it was completed.

“We prepared most of the construction details here and sent them over to the States,” says Franklin.“We shipped the two corridors (porches) with all their pieces, the wrought iron balconies and railings, the stone work for the fireplaces, old doors — even the roof tiles were quantified and sent to provide the right exterior look to the house. That was the uniqueness of the project: Gerri and George wanted the real stuff!”

With a sunken fountain, grills over the deep set, concrete, windows and gargoyles rather than guttering, this Spanish colonial style house is “pure Antigua” — seemingly plucked from the city’s cobbled streets and placed in Yulee, on the coast of Florida.

The house is not only Guatemalan from the outside, but is also filled with Guatemalan features on the inside too. After building the pieces, the
talented architect took them apart, numbered them, and then sent them over to Florida in a 40-foot long container.

The giant box also delivered custom-made beds, a Guatemalan Art Nouveau chair and five pairs of antique wooden doors, bought at Chichicastenango market.

“I think the real challenge was for the builder in the U.S. to use my design and adapt it to comply with all the regulations, codes and building processes — so that it was liveable and coherent with the Florida environment,” recalls Franklin.

“I know how difficult it is even to change an outlet in the U.S. if you don’t have the right certified electrician with his licence, insurance and so forth. We did our best to send instructions on how to put together all the pieces of the terraza española and other details but this was a totally different language for the contractor.”

With its soaring cathedral ceiling, 26-foot tall wood burning fireplace and uncovered, outdoor, swimming pool, the Chesters’ dream home is a perfect replica of a 1700s luxury Guatemalan home.

“Everybody told us we were crazy not to screen in the pool, but it’s just not the style here,” exclaims George.

With careers that have taken the couple all over the globe, it’s not just Guatemalan artefacts that decorate the Chester household. Living and working in locations from Germany to South Africa means they have accumulated an impressive collection of eclectic items along the way — including Belgian stained glass windows and a 9-foot long, 19^th century French farm table amongst many others. Their diverse array of global
purchases, which typifies their past, is so important to them that they even had certain rooms of the house designed to fit the furniture, not the other way around.

The unique abode, which is located on deep water in a secluded part of Nassau County, is surrounded by oak trees — four miles from the nearest grocery store. The Chesters are such fans of Franklin Contreras’ work that he has since designed a second home for the couple in Antigua.

Although the initial idea for a Spanish colonial residence in Florida presented them with a few challenges, this museum quality house bottles the essence of Guatemala. It is a tribute to the strength of architecture in the country and a testament to the unique way that Chapin life captures people’s hearts.

“At the end of the day it was team work and I have to admit that George and Gerri did a wonderful job of providing Florida with a flavour of Antigua,” says Franklin.

Guatemalan Women Hail Single-Sex Buses (The Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/14/guatemala-city-women-single-sex-buses?newsfeed=true

Guatemala City has introduced women-only buses aimed at reducing instances of harassment and violence against women on public transport across the Guatemalan capital.

The project came about after a congresswoman, Zury Rios Montt, started a petition to draw attention to the fact that hundreds of women were sexually harassed on buses every year.

According to the Association of Transport Users in Guatemala, of the 1,500 complaints received annually about passenger abuse, more than a third of them involve the sexual harassment of women and girls.

“Women have the right to travel in safety, as demanded by law,” said Luis Gómez, vice-president of the city’s bus service, Transurbano. “It’s a shame we had to introduce this system, but people weren’t respecting women on mixed buses.”

Roughly half of Guatemala City’s 3.5 million inhabitants use public buses every day, leaving themselves vulnerable to attacks by armed assailants
who regularly rob passengers and kill drivers.

The fleet of buses marked “for women only” has received a great deal of support. Passengers say they feel safer, and hope the project will soon extend its operation beyond rush hours. The service is for women and all children under seven.

“I feel much safer on these buses rather than the mixed ones,” said Edelmira Figueroa, a nurse who works in the capital. “I used to get harassed by male passengers and the drivers would say vulgar things and touch you as you walked past. But now I feel much more comfortable.”

The system uses pre-paid travel tickets, so drivers do not carry money, which makes the buses less of a target for thieves. Furthermore, each vehicle is equipped with panic buttons, CCTV cameras, armed guards – and some even have female drivers.

The pilot scheme was met with a mixture of enthusiasm and confusion. It created problems for women taking sons older than seven to school, and some passengers were not used to the idea of travelling without their husbands.

“We had our doubts to start with, but the project has become widely accepted,” said Gómez.

Some women’s groups are not satisfied, saying the buses are unreliable and do not yet cover enough of the city. Rios Montt, who spearheaded the campaign, is now pushing for the implementation of a women-only taxi service.