International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls is held on November 25 in commemoration of the date on which the three Mirabal sisters (Patria, Minerva and María Teresa) were assassinated, in the Republic of Dominican.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in the world today that is barely reported due to the impunity that perpetrators enjoy, and the silence, stigmatization and shame that the victims suffer.

The UN General Assembly defines violence against women as “any act of violence that has or may result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering for women, as well as threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether it occurs in public or private life. ”

Although women, in all parts of the world, may experience gender violence, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable, an example of which are girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender, migrant and refugees, those of indigenous peoples or ethnic minorities, women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those in humanitarian crises.

The Institute for Human Promotion (INPRHU – Somoto) emphasizes and promotes values ​​to promote gender equality as a way to empower the family and especially rural women, through the various socio-economic and human training projects developed , thus placing equity as a transversal axis of work in each of its programs.

Currently, as a result of the effort made by INPRHU Somoto to reduce the inequality gap and promote access to opportunities in the field, we have 3 projects that directly benefit women, who genuinely and meaningfully participate in each of the activities. . We share the principle of Non-Discrimination, also having a gender policy that strengthens women’s leadership.

From our experience, the macho culture is one of the challenges that we have had to face in our daily work, it being necessary to prioritize working with women, promoting their participation, strengthening their self-esteem and personal development through workshops, interest groups, groups of self-saving, soft skills training, entrepreneurship, theater, etc.

Articulating strategies and sharing our vision – mission with the different key actors in the areas we serve has made it easier for us to enter the territories and disseminate the activities we carry out to raise awareness of this problem.

Although our challenge is great and we are moving forward little by little, we have made important changes in our territory to empower women and reduce violence.

Let us remember that violence against women and girls is an evil that we cannot combat without the active involvement of everyone, and education is our main tool in this fight.

Rosario Avendaño Caceres -INPRHU Somoto