Category Archives: WOMEN’S EQUALITY

16 Days of Activism 2017: Meet Marcela Fernandez, Colombia

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the Nobel Women’s Initiative

Youth peace activist. Marcela is a co-founder of PAZabordo (Peace On Board), a youth-led, grassroots peace-bus initiative that travelled around Colombia during the peace process promoting peace and linking youth in different parts of the country.


Photo courtesy of Marcela Fernandez

What inspired you to launch PAZabordo?

The war had been too long. The first week after the referendum [to accept or reject the peace agreement], people took over the streets of Bogota. I thought what we really needed was to connect the cities and rural areas—and find out who are the true peacebuilders. We wanted to find out for ourselves what people’s visions were for recovering from the war—whether they were healing their communities through hip hop, art, or agriculture.

And so you launched PAZabordo – a peace bus of sorts. Tell us about the journey.

We were a group of 40 people. We travelled around Colombia for forty days, over 7,000 km. We visited more than 50 territories, and 80 leaders. We travelled by chiva—which is not a bus, but the way local people move around towns. During the conflict, many of the chivas were not able to move around because of the violence. Now, peace has come, so using chivas was a symbolic act. They are also a symbol of joy, of parties, and happiness. So we wanted to represent all that when we entered the towns—we wanted people to see happiness come.

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Question for this article

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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How did you start?

We put it on Facebook, and the project went viral very quickly. People were telling us to come and visit. We had nothing; no resources, and it cost a lot to rent the chiva. We decided to start with a crowd-funding campaign, which was difficult because Colombians were not used to them. It helped, but we didn’t reach the goal, so we financed the whole experience using a combination of a sponsor, the crowd-funding, and symbolic donations by each of the passengers, whom we called “peace-engers”.

What was the concept of the program?

We went, not with an institution, but as Colombians. We wanted to show we were united. We wanted to connect leaders from different regions who were doing different things. We had a Whatsapp group, where all the leaders were connected together. It was a tool we implemented spontaneously, to have a place where people could talk. We also had radios so we could let our families and friends know where we were, and also for security. The idea developed along the way, but the mission was always to give visibility and show it was possible to travel around the country. We wanted to map out the implementation of the post-conflict ecosystem in Colombia.

What are some of the activities you did in the towns you visited?

We realized when we arrived in the communities, people wanted to be heard, to show us what they were doing, take advantage of the visit to tell us what had happened there. We realized listening was our greatest strength. Instead of giving a big performance, which was what we had intended in the beginning, we decided to listen to them. We visited many places far apart in a very limited time, so it was really taking advantage of every minute. Sometimes it was with the municipalities, or the mayors; it would change with every new place. Sometimes they were welcoming us with signs or at the parish, or sometimes they didn’t even know we were coming.

Who were you trying to engage on the PAZabordo?

Anyone! Any way they wanted to contribute to peace was welcome. All the people in the chiva helped us create activities in town. We had an initiative in which we wrote letters from municipality to municipality cultivating peace; we signed a big Colombian flag with all the people we met. We would project movies in the chiva for kids, we had photographers making documentaries and videos about what we were seeing. It was a very holistic, talented chiva, and everyone would use their unique talent to promote peace or spread the word.

What do you hope for the future of the project?

We hope to grow the resources and visibility of the program, to have it continue. We would love to bring together local leaders within a region, to allow leaders to share experiences with others in Colombia. And we would like to grow to include international participants. Instead of just coming to Colombia and just to visiting the beach, people could come here and have a great experience learning about peace, and the situation of Colombians.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article)

Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

16 Days of Activism 2017: Meet Amanda Ghahremani, Canada

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the Nobel Women’s Initiative

Lawyer. Amanda is the Legal Director at the Canadian Centre for International Justice. CCIJ supports and assists people seeking justice for serious human rights violations and engages with Canadians through education and awareness programming. Amanda is also Director of the Philippe Kirsch Institute, which provides specialised legal education programmes with a focus on international law, human rights, and international criminal law, among others. In 2016, Amanda successfully spearheaded the international campaign #FREEHOMA to release the Canadian-Iranian political prisoner, Professor Homa Hoodfar, from Evin prison in Iran.


Photo courtesy of Amanda Ghahremani


You work on international human rights law—what motivated you to do this kind of law?

My academic background before law school was in cultural studies and peace and conflict resolution. While spending time in Australia during my master’s degree, I started working on refugee issues and realized that knowledge of law would allow me to have a greater impact on refugee policy. Throughout law school I worked with refugee women who were survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and this experience steered me to the intersection of refugees, conflict, violence and justice. At the Centre, I work on these issues in a manner that has direct impact on survivors, but also empowers survivors to take a leading role in their justice efforts.

What most often hinders you from achieving justice?

Ironically, laws and policies are what most often hinder us from achieving justice for our clients. For example, Canada’s State Immunity Act generally gives foreign governments immunity in Canadian courts, making it very difficult for survivors to seek compensation for torture and other atrocities committed by those governments. Another example has been the reluctance by Canadian courts, until very recently, to allow Canadian corporations to be sued in Canada for the human rights abuses they commit abroad. However, these barriers make my work that much more important, because every success we achieve for our clients sets a precedent that brings us one step closer to achieving justice for many others.

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Question for this article

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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You’ve worked on cases involving political prisoners. Was the case of your aunt, Professor Homa Hoodfar, at all unique?

Homa’s case was not necessarily unique. There is a long-standing track record of academics and intellectuals being imprisoned in Iran, including but not limited to dual nationals. However, what made Homa’s case unique was the the speed at which it was resolved, in very large part a testament to the effectiveness of diplomacy. From the perspective of a lawyer, it was very difficult to navigate the campaign and messaging knowing that Homa’s trial was still unfolding; everything we said and did would be scrutinized and had the potential to impact her case. Ultimately, the success of Homa’s case came from a concerted and collective effort: the United Nations, the Canadian government, other national governments, academics, activists, and individuals, particularly those in the Global South such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia. The campaign really was a global effort.

How have you found the environment for women in the legal world?

Women must work ten times harder to prove their worth and value, whether you are in a large corporate law firm or in a non-governmental organization. I was the keynote speaker at Law Needs Feminism Because Forum in Montreal this year because I strongly believe that women in law need to create spaces to support each other. I was happy to see women law students, law professors, and lawyers uniting to discuss the ongoing challenges we face in this profession, and the opportunities that we have to change these structural inequities. I have also implemented an intersectional feminist policy in CCIJ‘s legal department as I believe it is imperative that we are guided by intersectional feminism not only in our immediate work environment, but also in the work we carry out with clients and in our broader communities. In the context of international justice, I find an intersectional feminist approach poses the question: “How do we make sure that our mission for justice is not in its very process exploiting the stories and experiences of survivors – often racialised, marginalised, and othered people, especially women?”

Could you tell us about Women’s Charters and Declarations. Why did you create this network?

Women’s Charters and Declarations is a project that emerged out of several collaborative meetings with feminists from various backgrounds, emphasizing the need to have an archive of the legal and policy work that has taken place in women’s rights movements across the globe. The project is designed as a resource centre with quick, searchable, and structured access to women’s charters, declarations, and manifestos. My hope is that it will help mobilize and encourage new generations to get inspired by, learn from, and adapt these charters to their own contexts.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article)

North America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

16 Days of Activism 2017: Meet Mariama Sonko, Senegal

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Nobel Women’s Initiative

Farmer and organizer for rural women. Mariama is the national coordinator of Nous sommes la solution (We are the solution) in Senegal, a rural women’s movement for food sovereignty, spreading across Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana and Guinea. Through agro-ecology practices, Mariama and her movement work with rural women to take charge of their livelihoods and create an empowering support network for each other.

Can you tell us a little bit about your work?

Our movement was born from consultations between farmers’ organisations and civil society on how to resist agricultural policies imposed by multinational corporations. This movement is Afro-centered and proposes agro-ecology as an alternative to support greater food security in Africa. Women play an indisputable role in agriculture—in the production, and the commercialization of family farming, and in consumption. Our movement is grounded in the vision of an Africa in which rural women are involved in all decision-making and grow, sell and consume the products of their family farms.

How has your movement expanded so far?

We have had a lot of success, mainly because we were able to strengthen the capacity of women leaders to articulate the value of the movement from the very beginning. This allowed us to organize with affected grassroots women, and we now have a platform of at least 100 grassroots associations. We also work with the media, newspapers and radio to spread our message.

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Questions for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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Although the movement was started by women, we have expanded to include men, youth, decision makers, and other people who believe in our work. Today we have a model farm field run by rural women and a store where we sell our products. It’s about turning words into action. There is a lot that we do at the local level but we increasingly believe that it’s also critical to have networks at the international level too, to give greater visibility to the movement. This can be a powerful asset in our advocacy work.

What would you say is the greatest challenge you face?

Women are key actors but their work is not understood and never rewarded. So that is why we must really continue to build women’s capacity to communicate our views and connect with others so they know what it is we’re calling for and what we must do.

Which action would you say is essential for activism?

It is crucial to be connected with other movements in other countries to better know what they’re defending and what they’re working for, and to see how we can link alliances to be stronger. We cannot limit ourselves to what we’re doing. We need to know what others are doing to receive or give lessons to bring us to a more harmonious development.

What does the word “feminism” mean for you?

Feminism simply means social justice in our community. Injustice towards women has been present since our ancestors’ days. Feminism corrects this injustice at the local, national and international level. And that is what really drives us to be and to work with the global feminist movement, to really try to settle this injustice, to value the role women play and their place in our community.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article)

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

16 Days of Activism 2017: Meet Ketty Nivyabandi, Burundi

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the Nobel Women’s Initiative

Activist and poet. Ketty’s leadership in mobilizing women in protest against her country’s government led her to flee from persecution, to Canada. As a refugee, Ketty continues to be a voice for peace and rule of law in her country –Burundi–and regularly speaks on human rights, refugee issues, and the intimate effects of conflict on women’s lives globally. Ketty has recently joined the staff of the Nobel Women’s Initiative as Media Associate.

For some of our readers who may not know the conflict in Burundi, could you explain the current situation?

Burundi has undergone a lot of conflict in the past four decades. We experienced a peaceful period in the 2000s, but in 2015, the head of state decided to run for a third and unconstitutional term in office. So that was the beginning of a political crisis, and many citizens responded with peaceful protests. However, the regime repressed them through massive human rights violations.

How did you become an activist?

I became involved early on in Burundi’s current crisis when I realized that women’s voices were not being heard. I could see that if it continued, women, as usual, would be the first victims of the conflict. It was important that we send a message of peace, so I led our first women-only peaceful protest in Burundi. It was a very powerful, historic, feminist moment because not only did we take ownership of our voices, but we also gained confidence in a country that is traditionally very patriarchal. For my actions, the state targeted me and I had to flee the country.

How has your activism had to evolve since you were forced to leave Burundi?

I’m an artist before anything else: a writer and a poet. But as a result of the conflict, I find that my focus has turned to activism, or ‘artivism’. As a founding member of the Women and Girls Movement for Peace and Security, I remain active in the movement, mainly by advocating for women’s representation at the peace negotiation table and by researching cases of sexual violence and human trafficking perpetrated by Burundian state actors. It’s important to collect credible data on what’s happening to our women and girls. I also continue to lobby and raise awareness on the crisis. I testified before the Canadian parliamentary committee on international human rights, and speak regularly at other forums on the situation of women and girls in Burundi.

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Question for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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What role does art play in your activism?

I think it was Alice Walker who said that “art is the mirror, perhaps the only one in which we can see our true collective face”. Art is indeed our mirror. It enables me, as an artist, to keep my ear on the ground, to remain close to the truth of what is happening. My poetry has always been infused by what is happening in my community. It’s powerful, not only to send a message but also to depict what is difficult to capture otherwise, especially in situations of injustice and oppression. Poetry gives me a lot of creative freedom to address the social and the political pitfalls of my society. So that’s one aspect—the mirroring aspect. The other aspect is that art, I believe, also heals. Sometimes when there are no clear answers amidst so much violence, art can be space of solace and healing. Sometimes art is the only way to reach people’s souls.

What inspires you to keep going and to keep doing this work?

I cannot tolerate injustice, and I’ve been this way since I was a little girl. I see doing this work as my duty as a human being—I don’t see any other option. Not addressing the issues that are ailing my community and my society is another form of dying—a more severe death, I would say. It’s a duty that I must do in order to sleep at night, in order to look at myself in the mirror. I am currently safe, but if I am enjoying my safety alone while millions of my country-mates or anyone else, anywhere else in the world, is not safe, then that affects my peace. So doing this work is a way of life.

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?

I believe we all hear a calling inside of us to give our life a broader dimension than our individual journeys, and I want to encourage us to listen to that voice. Most of the time, we are afraid to act because it means losing a lot of our acquired comforts. As someone who has lost a lot, I want to say that I found greater purpose and meaning, and my life has never been richer. So my words would be to encourage anyone who hears that calling not to be afraid and to go out there and do what they are called to do. It cannot only be the work of a few people we highlight and profile. We must all do the work to get to our shared humanity to a better place.

we seek freedom
like yellow diamonds
through dust
through stone

our naked hands
bleed on rocks

we breathe in coal
but exhale hope

– Ketty Nivyabandi

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article)

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marked around the world

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

A survey by CPNN

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was marked around the world on November 25.

At the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres said that unless the international community tackles violence against women, the world will not eradicate poverty or reach any of the other Sustainable Development Goals. And Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women concluded that “As a global community, we can act now to end violence against women and girls, to change institutions and work together to end discrimination, restore human rights and dignity, and leave no one behind.”

Internet sites included remarkable photos from around the world of demonstrations to mark the day. Here is a UN photo from Liberia:


In observance of International Women’s Day, participants march from the centre of Monrovia to the Temple of Justice, home of the Liberian Supreme Court, where they staged a peaceful sit-in protest against gender-based violence. UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein

In France, after President Emmanuel Macron announced an initiative to make it easier to report sexual assault claims to police, hundreds marched through Paris, demanding the government do more to educate children about sexism and violence. Here is a video from Rose McGowan published by PBS.

According to PBS , there were marches in Turkey, France, Chile, Italy, Mozambique, Sweden, Spain and other countries Among others, PBS carries a photo from Reuters of protesters carrying torches and walking behind a banner reading “Your truth is Ours. Our Word Counts” during a demonstration in Bilbao, northern Spain, on Nov. 25, 2017.

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Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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Many photos from the day are displayed on the internet site of the Denver Post. They include photos from the following countries:

Dominican Republic: People gather with candles and banners on the eve of the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Santo Domingo on Nov. 24, 2017. On November 25, 1960, the Mirabal sisters – three of four Dominican political dissident sisters – were murdered by order of Dominican dictator (1930-1961) Leonidas Trujillo, and since 1999, the United Nations General Assembly, designated the date as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in their honor (Erika Santelices, AFP/Getty Images)

Italy: Two women read about a victim of violence on one of the hundred silhouettes displayed in a park as part of “Without Words” (Gregorio Borgia, The Associated Press).

Colombia: Hundreds of women perform during the fourth edition of the “Not even with the petal of a rose” festival in Bogota (Raul Arboleda, AFP/Getty Images).

Turkey: Protesters take part in a demonstration in Istanbul (Yasin Akgul, AFP/Getty Images).

Costa Rica: Thousands of people march in San Jose (Ezequiel Becerra, AFP/Getty Images).

Paraguay: Women march in Asuncion, Paraguay (Jorge Saenz, The Associated Press).

Mexico: Relatives and friends of women killed in Mexico take part in a protest along Reforma avenue in Mexico City (Ronaldo Schemidt, AFP/Getty Images).

Peru: Thousands protest for women’s rights during the “Ni Una Menos” march in Lima/ AFP PHOTO/AFP/Getty Images.

Chile: Activists shout slogans during a march on the eve of the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Santiago (Claudio Reyes, AFP/Getty Images).

global, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Latin America: What are countries doing to combat femicide?

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article in El Universo

Campaigns, emerging actions, laws and other projects are being implemented in various countries to combat femicide.


Three weeks ago a protest was held in Quito to reject violence against women. Photo: Roberto Rueda

Chile

In 2010, the Femicide Law was enacted. The regulations modified the Criminal Code and the Law of Domestic Violence, condemning femicide, increasing the penalties applicable to this crime and modifying the rules on parricide (killing a relative).

Chile currently has 103 centers nationwide where first care is given to all women who need help, as well as guidance and information in relation to the different manifestations of violence against women. In addition, shelters have been established to protect women victims of violence, incorporating housing, food and services.

Argentina

On November 14, 2012, the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina approved a law that provides for certain amendments to the Criminal Code. This reform incorporated femicide as an aggravated crime of simple homicide.

In the country a plan of prevention, assistance and eradication of violence has been developed, because a woman is killed every 37 hours.

Uruguay

This year, the Chamber of Senators of Uruguay unanimously approved a bill that modifies articles 311 and 312 of the Criminal Code, in which femicide was introduced as a particularly aggravated form of homicide because of a woman’s gender, and which will carry penalties of up to 30 years in prison.

Among its programs, a 2016-2019 Action Plan is being carried out for a life free of gender violence, with a generational view.

Paraguay

The Senate approved in 2016 with amendments the draft Law on Comprehensive Protection against Violence against Women. Among the reforms is the typification of the crime of femicide with prison terms of up to 30 years. In Paraguay the term femicide is used and one in every ten murders are being considered as femicide.

Paraguay has a “Protocol of Inter-institutional Action in the face of violent death, attempted death and high-risk violence against women (“Promuvi-Mujer”). In addition, there is a Ministry of Women which is the governing body of the system for attention to violence against women and for support of those affected by feminicide.

There is also the Witness Program of the Public Ministry, for cases in which the risk assessment indicates assistance.

Bolivia

The crime of feminicide is punishable by a 30-year prison sentence, without the right to a pardon, after the Comprehensive Law to Guarantee Women a Life Free of Violence was approved in 2013.

The campaign ‘For a life without violence’, was recently launched, aiming to promote respect for women’s rights.

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(click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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Brazil

With the Femicide Law, approved on March 9, the murder of women as a result of domestic violence or discrimination based on sex, becomes a heinous crime and is included as such in the Brazilian Penal Code. In the country, every two minutes five women suffer physical violence.

Since August 2014, UN Women, the Secretariat of Policies for Women of Brazil and the Embassy of Austria have been coordinating with law, justice and police operators to adapt the Model Latin American Protocol for the Investigation of Violent Deaths in Brazil for reasons of Gender. With that, they provide guidelines and instruments to support the work of the people responsible for the investigation and criminal prosecution of the violent death of women due to gender.

Peru

Since 2016, Article 108 has recognized femicide. In 2015 Law 30364 was passed to prevent, eradicate and punish all forms of violence produced in the public or private sphere against women because of their condition.

Peru has carried out the campaign “Voices for change” an ingenious initiative that initially counted on the participation of representatives of the staff of the Ministry of Women.

Recently, participants of the Miss Peru 2018 beauty pageant took advantage of the catwalks and spotlights to denounce gender violence and femicides in their country.

Colombia

In 2015, President Juan Manuel Santos sanctioned the law that defines femicide as an autonomous crime, guaranteeing investigation and criminalization of violence against women for reasons of gender. The sentences established in the norm vary between 250 and 500 months of imprisonment.

Currently, the campaign ‘Conmuévete y Muévete’ is being used to raise awareness against femicides and murders of social leaders. In addition, it is required that violence in society not be considersd as normal

Venezuela

Femicide was included as a crime for the first time, in the Organic Law for the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence. On November 25, 2014, the reform was formalized in which this act was classified as a crime under the name of femicide.

In October of this year, the group of women and sexual diversity, Pan y Rosas, launched the campaign for an “Emergency Law against Violence against Women”, where they ensure that prevention and assistance to women who have been violated, in order to prevent crimes and murders against women. In addition, they argue that the financing of this law must be guaranteed through large taxes on large companies

El Salvador

In 2016, specialized courts were created to prosecute crimes of violence against women. One of the most important achievements was the recognition of femicide as a crime, punishable by 20 to 50 years in prison.

A campaign has been launched against machismo with the slogan “Put a goal to machismo”, promoted by international organizations. The campaign, which will last until December, fosters a culture of peace and denunciation so that women can assert their human rights.

Mexico

Since 2007 there is a General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free of Violence, but only 20 of the 32 Mexican states apply the protocols. The resolution indicates that homicides of women on grounds of gender are called femicides. These crimes will be investigated according to specialized protocols with a gender perspective. Femicide has been prohibited since 2011 with a prison sentence of 20 to 50 years.

In September, the video “Seguras” was released, a collective effort by Mexican women, concerned about the situation of gender violence.

Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Dominican Republic, San Francisco de Macorís: Men’s march to combat violence against women

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article by David Díaz Valerio in El Jaya

The Inter-institutional team for a Culture of Peace in San Francisco de Macoris, has announced the men’s walk against gender violence called “All United for Respect for Women.”

The activity will start on Friday, November 24, at 9:00 in the morning, starting from the Policarpo Mora park in the Pueblo Nuevo sector and go to the Duarte park where they will be met by the women.

The mottos that will accompany this walk include: I respect women, I respect mothers, I respect my grandmother, I respect my daughter, I respect my sister, I respect my wife.

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(click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

What role should men play to stop violence against women?

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The team, made up of different institutions, explained that the main objective of the activity is to promote the active participation of men with a view to building a different vision of the problem, of which they are part together with women.

In addition to promoting a culture of peace through respect, union and effective dialogue, they intend to strengthen family and cultural life. Participation is intended to contribute to the reduction of gender violence, the empowerment of men and the active participation of women.

The inter-institutional team brings together Casa Abierta, the Department of Women of the City Council, CONANI, the Ministry of Women, Pro-Family, the Public Ministry, the Community House of Justice, and the Ministry of Education, among others.

Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Ecuador: International Conference on Gender Violence

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from La Hora

The 2nd International Conference on ‘Gender Violence in Ecuador and Latin America’ will be held at the House of Culture of Esmeraldas, organized by the Mayor’s Office of Esmeraldas, the Inter-Institutional Gender Board of this canton, the Peruvian Bar Association and the Consultative Commission on Gender, Equality and Non-Discrimination.


(Click on photo to enlarge)

The conference of women’s defenders takes place, starting from 9 AM, on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence against Women, which is celebrated on November 25, the date established by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

In this meeting, the situation of women’s rights in the region will be exposed and disseminated; the elimination of violence against women will be promoted. The conference will seek to empower women in legal, social and political spaces.

The Congress will make proposals that promote equality of rights and opportunities between men and women and promote the construction of a culture of peace and equality in a society free of violence and without discrimination.
 
Activists in favor of women’s rights take this day as a day of protest and commemoration against violence, date that was taken as a commemoration of the brutal murder in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists of the Dominican Republic, by order of the Dominican President Rafael Trujillo.
 
To commemorate women’s rights, the Municipalities of the Regional Technical Unit 1 (UTR1) of the Association of Municipalities of Ecuador (AME), will carry out programs in each of the cantons.

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(click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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The representative of the Bar Association of Lima, Peru, and president of the Consultative Commission on Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination, Mirka Silva Mendoza, will be one of the exponents in the international congress along with other national and international personalities.

The theme of the conference is the ‘Analysis and proposals of solution on sexual violence’. Among the proposals to be considered is that mental health policies should be implemented in schools, with the support of psychologists, considering that problems first arise in the home.
 
Another of the alternatives proposed will be the creation of a draft law that allows extending the term of detention from 24 hours to 48 hours, in case of flagrancy in crimes of sexual violence to prevent impunity.

The mayor of Esmeraldas, Lenin Lara, said that these actions seek to generate awareness as well as statistics, “but the fundamental vision is that of a culture of peace, a culture without violence of gender in general that discards the violence of our interpersonal relationships of our lives daily ”
 
The local representative of the Population Fund of the United Nations and member of the cantonal and provincial gender board, Ruth Quiñónez, said that the congress is timely, because it will allow analyzing a problem that is causing harm to society, whereby violence against women is seen as normal, but it is not.

Shee added that on November 25 there will also be an open house in coordination with the Judicial network involving more than 30 institutions in the province and the canton.
 
In addition, tomorrow there will be a meeting of lullabies and songs, organized by the cantonal, provincial and prefecture, as inter-institutional response activities.
 
Quiñónez explained that of 10 women asked if they have been violated, six say yes. These data indicate that the canton Esmeraldas needs to mobilize forces and take actions to combat violence.

Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

USA: The ‘Me Too’ Campaign Was Created By A Black Woman 10 Years Ago

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the Huffington Post (reprinted according to principles of “fair use”)

A black woman named Tarana Burke is the original creator of the #MeToo campaign that has recently taken over social media. 


Tarana Burke in the Democracy Now interview

Burke, founder of youth organization Just Be Inc., created the “Me Too” campaign in 2007 long before hashtags even existed. The 44-year-old told Ebony Magazine that she created the campaign as a grass-roots movement to reach sexual assault survivors in underprivileged communities. 

“It wasn’t built to be a viral campaign or a hashtag that is here today and forgotten tomorrow,” Burke told Ebony on Monday. “It was a catchphrase to be used from survivor to survivor to let folks know that they were not alone and that a movement for radical healing was happening and possible.”

The campaign recently turned into a hashtag after actress Alyssa Milano wrote a call-out on Twitter asking followers to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault using the phrase “Me too.” While Milano did not state that she created the campaign, many media outlets credited the actress for originating the hashtag. 

Burke told Ebony that it’s “powerful” to see the hashtag go viral. “What’s happening now is powerful,” she said. “And I salute it and the women who have disclosed but the power of using ‘me too’ has always been in the fact that it can be a conversation starter or the whole conversation ― but it was us talking to us.” 

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Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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On Monday, Milano tweeted that she was “made aware of an earlier #MeToo movement” and linked to Burke’s story. 

Alyssa Milano: “I was just made aware of an earlier #MeToo movement, and the origin story is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring”

In a Tuesday morning interview with Democracy Now, Burke discussed the origins of the “Me Too” movement and why it’s still so relevant today. As a survivor of sexual violence herself, Burke said she used the “me too” phrase as a way to connect with other survivors, specifically young women of color. 

”[I was] trying to find a succinct way to show empathy,” Burke said. “Me too is so powerful because somebody had said it to me and it changed the trajectory of my healing process once I heard that. Me too was about reaching the places that other people wouldn’t go, bringing messages and words and encouragement to survivors of sexual violence where other people wouldn’t be talking about it.” 

Burke tweeted her thoughts about the hashtag going viral on Sunday night, writing: “The point of the work we’ve done over the last decade with the ‘me too movement’ is to let women, particularly young women of color know that they are not alone ― it’s a movement.” . . .

The #MeToo movement highlights a common problem: Feminist movements are often whitewashed when they’re brought into mainstream conversations. Women of color are often overlooked and left out of the very conversations they create.numbers.

As the #MeToo hashtag went viral, many people thanked Burke and tweeted their support of her movement. 

Co-founder of Black Lives Matter Alicia Garza thanked Burke, tweeting: “Thank you @TaranaBurke for bringing us this gift of #MeToo almost 10 years ago. Still powerful today.”

Other Twitter users gave credit to Burke for #MeToo and asked media to stop crediting white women for the work of women of color. ”#MeToo was started by Tarana Burke. Stop erasing black women,” Twitter user Aura Bogado wrote. 

North America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Making Waves: Local radio transforming perceptions of gender-based violence in Africa

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from UNESCO

Local radio is raising awareness for gender violence across many hard-to-reach regions in Africa through dedicated gender-sensitive programming. Training in gender-sensitivity is assisting radio staff in the identification and removal of harmful biases and stereotypes from broadcasts and encouraging positive change in the communal perception of gender equality. UNESCO’s “Empowering Local Radio with ICTs” project is helping radio stations to inspire intolerance for gender-based violence and hold perpetrators and duty-bearers responsible.


photo © Hector Conesa/Shutterstock

In one reported case from Tanzania, a woman attempting to press an identified suspect with allegations of rape faced only indifference among municipal authorities. When local leaders demanded a bribe in exchange for the arrest of the suspect, Dodoma FM, one of the stations involved in UNESCO’s project, took up the story. They publicized the woman’s ongoing struggle until the district commissioner was stirred into action. Dodoma’s coverage of the scandal resulted in the arrest of the perpetrator of the crime, as well as punitive measures taken against the three local leaders accused of blackmail.

Gender-sensitive training helps radio staff identify and cover relevant stories, but the interest to remove harmful stereotypes in pursuing these issues is coming from local reporters. “I’m interested in gender-sensitive reporting because gender equality levels are low and more knowledge is needed. Training helped me to report on stories dealing with gender violence and child marriages in ways that can improve the situation in the community,” said Ayo Rebecca, a reporter from Radio Apac FM in Uganda, during a workshop organised by UNESCO.

Even in hard-to-reach areas, local radio stations are creating awareness and broadcasts are sounding out favourable responses in the community. At the gateway to Virunga National Park, Dorika FM in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is receiving strong local support for its programs dedicated to positive action that can contribute to greater social independence and empowerment among women. The broadcasts have been so well-received as to result in the creation of a listener’s club and NGO that in turn supports and promotes the topics of the program.

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Questions related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

How can peace be promoted by radio?

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Social perceptions and tolerance for gender-based violence, especially that occurring domestically, are significant obstacles faced in tackling this problem. Gender issues and their solutions require action that targets both men and women in order to change the social landscape that facilitates such behaviour. “Targeted radio programs have the capacity to challenge masculinity norms and the unfortunate tolerance for gender violence, as shown by Radio Ijwi ry’Umukenyezi (RIU) in Burundi,” said Mirta Lourenço, UNESCO’s Chief for Media Development.

RIU created a dedicated gender unit in their station to monitor the content of broadcasts and host awareness programs. They advocate positive behaviour amongst men and women that promotes intolerance for gender violence and disrepute for perpetrators. The program has been popular enough in the community that listeners’ groups have been formed and grateful residents have even begun to support the station by supplying RIU with water free of charge.

Aside from evoking support from the community, local radio stations are targeting duty-bearers and holding them accountable to the responsibilities of their office. Tumbatu FM in Zanzibar, Tanzania is bringing gender-based violence and the role of authorities to the forefront of social discussion through their programs. Broadcasts stressed the importance of intolerance and the necessity for reporting incidents to the local authorities rather than resolving the issue within the household. As a direct result of the awareness spread, the police have established gender desks at local stations where residents can receive information and report gender-based crimes.

To confront the issue of gender violence further, national policy can contribute in several ways through the creation and development of media regulatory bodies, as well as the promotion of media literacy amongst boys and girls to understand gender equality challenges and stereotypes. UNESCO’s “Empowering Local Radio with ICTs” project (https://en.unesco.org/radioict/), supported by Sweden, is one such international initiative that is giving priority to gender in media, improving media access and control and supplying the tools to radio staff to make positive change in their communities.

The importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women have increased to become leading priorities in both developed and developing countries as nations strive to remove the social and economic disparities between men and women. To combat the cycle caused by gender misrepresentation in media, UNESCO has also created Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM) to promote gender parity and women empowerment in all forms of media, as in line with the UN’s SDG 5. By addressing the significance of this issue, countries can help advocate for autonomy and the fair treatment of women, such as reducing the social tolerance for gender-based violence.

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY