Conflicts & War

Women across the Americas rise up to demand recognition of rights

International Desk, Mar 8 (efe-epa).- On International Women’s Day in the Americas, women raised their voices in virtual events and on the streets against violence, and for equality and the right to abortion.

In the United States, domestic violence increased 8.1 percent from mid-March 2020 after confinement orders were put in place, according to a report released by the National Commission on Covid-19 and Criminal Justice.

The “Fearless Girl” statue on Wall Street was on Monday surrounded by shards of glass symbolizing women breaking the “glass ceiling” in the corporate sector.

HALTING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Argentina on Monday created a state policy in the country shaken by the number of daily femicides. President Alberto Fernández and every provincial governor signed a Federal Agreement for a United Argentina Against Gender Violence, so that “there are no more Úrsulas, so that there are no more Micaelas,” in reference two emblematic cases of femicides in the country.

After achieving the decriminalization of abortion in December, Argentinians focused their marches on equality and the eradication of violence and the effect that the pandemic has had on women, due to the domestic and child care tasks that have fallen on them.

Bolivia also promised to improve working conditions and “protect” women so that there is “not one more death.” Collectives of women and representatives of mining, workers and indigenous communities gathered in an auditorium of the Casa Grande del Pueblo (seat of government) waving white flags that read 8-M and with signs that read “30 years in prison for femicides” and “We want justice.”

In Brazil, a government operation launched on Jan. 1 and concluded on Women’s Day, resulted in the arrest of 10,235 people accused of various violent crimes against women, including threats, injury, attempted femicide, sexual harassment and rape, a press conference held at the Ministry of Justice and Public Security revealed. Around 16,000 police officers in 27 states investigated 51,243 complaints and enforced 56,000 judicial protection measures.

According to the map of the Latin American Network Against Gender Violence, in the region some 2,330 femicides were preliminarily recorded in 2020 and 110 so far this year.

A LETTER TO LÓPEZ OBRADOR

In Mexico, thousands of women, including artists, activists and communicators, sent a letter signed by the singer Julieta Venegas and the Oscar-nominated actress Marina de Tavira, among others, to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to demand concrete actions.

In addition, controversy was unleashed after Guerrero state governor candidate Félix Salgado Macedonio, who is facing allegations of rape and abuse, celebrated Women’s Day on social media, praising the struggle for women’s rights.

Thousands of women gathered around the emblematic Monument to the Revolution, which suffered some damage after protesters broke the fence in a symbolic moment, while other protesters demolished part of the metal wall erected around the National Palace.

Mexico City police attacked and detained four photo journalists, one of them from the Efe, who were covering a demonstration in the capital’s subway when they were following a march of women who painted suburban facilities.

RECOGNITION OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE

Colombians also held marches in which women with purple and green scarves gathered in the center of Bogotá in favor of the legalization of abortion, in addition to holding concerts, a velatón (act of mourning) for victims of gender-based violence, and workshops aimed at mothers, girls and adolescents.

In the middle of the event, NASA flight director Diana Trujillo received special recognition from the jury of the Cafam Prize for Women for her contribution to the historic landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars and her contributions to aerospace engineering.

‘TODAY IS OUR DAY’

Many groups asked men not to attend the events that took place Monday, and chanting “Today is our day” in unison, Chilean women rebuked a group of men who sabotaged a celebration in Plaza Italia in the center of Santiago.

The Chilean police dispersed the massive march, in which thousands of women and adolescents participated in a festive and friendly atmosphere, with tear gas and water cannon.

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