Call to Action – November 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Nov 20, 2020 – Alianza Nacional de Campesinas advocates for women’s justice as a measure to end violence against women, especially the community we serve. Alianza Nacional de Campesinas denounces the violence of the culture of machismo and patriarchy, especially during this crisis that hits women the hardest, working with extremely levels of exploitation, hot long work days, pesticide exposure, and massive lockdowns worsen living conditions along with severe setbacks in wages, without sick leave rights, even in the midst of this pandemic.
Since 1981, Latin America recognizes the day against gender violence every November 25. Feminist movements in the region, with one of the highest rates of violence against women, coined that date in honor of the Dominicans Minerva, Patria and María Teresa Mirabal, three sisters murdered on November 25, 1960 by order of the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, of whom they were opponents. Years later, in 1999, the UN joined the protest day and declared each November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in honor of the Mirabal sisters, better known as the “butterflies”.
We know that social changes occur when there is a real event that moves the masses to act in favor of common justice. As happened on November 25, 1960, today thousands of women are being abused and violated like never before. COVID-19 has further exacerbated gender inequality. Globally, 243 million women and girls aged 15-49 were subjected to sexual and physical violence by an intimate partner in the last 12 months. In 2015, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs study the World’s Women 2015, Trends and Statistics data show that less than 40% of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort. Among those who do, most look to family and friends. Less than 10% of those women seek help from the police. The lockdown measures left millions of women and children with no escape from their aggressors. COVID 19 is also increasing the workload for women as a result of remote schooling and the caretaking of family members, such as the elderly and ill.
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas has denounced many times the way our government has taken advantage of the situation to cut farmworkers' wages, limit health access, and maximize benefits to large landholders. This has worsened the work conditions of millions of unprotected farmworkers. This crisis unifies us even more and together we stand in resistance to demand an end to all forms of violence against women and children. We acknowledge all the actions of solidarity that many women organizations have been sustaining worldwide, especially during the pandemic.
Our campesinas continue to sustain the food chain for the country with the minimum sanitary, safety and sustainability conditions. Alianza Nacional de Campesinas calls on our members and allies to join our fight full of hope to eradicate the violence against women and ensure that the rights of all women are respected.
This #Nov25 join our call for life and against violence on social media:
Participate in any symbolic act or local action promoted by your local groups to end violence against women. #CampesinasRising #NoMeansNo #EndViolenceAgainstWomen
Break the silence and join our social media storm this November 25! Find our social media toolkit ENGLISH ESPAÑOL GRAPHICS
Download #CampesinasRising masquerade now! Share a photo with your mask on social networks with the call to #EndViolenceAgainstWomen
Join our conversation webinar talking about Violence Against Women with Patricia Castillo, Executive Director, P.E.A.C.E. Initiative and Mily Treviño-Sauceda, Executive Director Alianza Nacional De Campesinas, Inc vía ZOOM.
When: November 25, 2020.
Time: 3:00PM - 3:30PM EST / 2:00PM - 2:30PM CST / 1:00PM - 1:30PM MST / 12:00PM - 12:30PM PST Registration: Conversando Sobre Violencia Contra La Mujer
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Inc. AKA Alianza de Campesinas is the first national farm worker women’s organization in the United States created by current and former farm worker women, along with women who hail from farm worker families. Working through a coalition of farm workers’ organizations, centers, and other networks, Alianza de Campesinas advocates on behalf of hundreds of thousands of farm worker women and their families across the country to secure social, environmental, and economic justice; prevent violence; foster equality; and promote healthier workplaces, homes, and communities for farm worker women and their families. For more information, visitwww.alianzanacionaldecampesinas.org.