International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
On 25 November, women and men from all over the world go out into the streets to make their voices heard and for violence against women to end. Today we join this global voice.
We want to remember that the violence that we women suffer begins with symbolic, cultural and structural violence of the patriarchy that historically has limited and oppressed us, stripping us of rights, severing aspirations, eliminating our self-esteem and capacity to react, even life itself.
As anti-militarist women, we also want to denounce that the women and girls in conflict zones are those who suffer the greatest violence: they are victims of sexual violence, trade, exploitation and prostitution and see how their sons are militarized and assassinated. In addition to the hardships of war, responsibility for rebuilding relationships and the torn social fabric falls upon them.
It is essential that women be provided with security, understanding that security is to feel included the processes for peace and to be present at the official tables for negotiation so that their demands and contributions to the building of peace, which they have always exercised in an informal way, become known.
Also, here in our nearby environment, we women offer proposals regarding the policies related to gender, which on too many occasions have not been heeded by those in positions of power.
Women in Black:
♀ Claim the need for co-education and education for peace so that the coming generations can live in a society where they don’t have to suffer or inflict violence.
♀ We call for just and appropriate gender policies provided with the funding necessary to carry them out.
♀ We ask that the parties involved in the peace processes articulate mechanisms to protect women in conflict zones and guarantee the true participation of women at the tables for negotiation.
We want to remember the Ukrainian activist and defender of human rights, Katerina Handziuk, assassinated upon being attacked with acid when she was investigating police corruption. We demand that her assassination be investigated and that justice be done.
Translation: Trisha Novak, USA – Yolanda Rouiller, WiB Spain