MANDILITOS (LITTLE APRONS) CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas launched the Mandilitos (Little Aprons) Campaign to create public awareness about domestic and other forms of gender based violence that affect farmworker women and their families. The Little Aprons represent the aprons that women usually wear in the home. As part of the campaign, farmworkers, their families and community members across the country decorate the mandilitos with messages to end violence and exhibit them in multiple sites in their communities. The exhibits serve as an organizing tool for the members to open dialogue with women and teenage girls about the violence they experience, ways to put an end to it, and ways to create safe and healthy relationships. Studies have found that nearly one third of women farmworkers experience domestic violence.
The Mandilitos project was initiated in 2008 by Alianza founding member Organizacion de California de Líderes Campesinas (Lideres Campesinas), who has been organizing efforts to raise awareness and help end violence against campesinas for over 30 years.
Since 2019, Alianza has helped expand this campaign across the country, reaching thousands of campesinas and community members. Alianza member organizations organize community events which attract wide media attention that helps create awareness and advocate for changes that will protect women's safety, security, and wellbeing. This year, the Mandilitos Campaign and events are being organized from October 1st through October 31st.