Violence against women is not a women’s problem, it is a society-wide problem. Rita Laura Segato, anthropologist
The Professional Social Workers Association of Puerto Rico (CPTSPR) once joins the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Violence that takes place around the world beginning November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day commemorates the violent and brutal murder of the three Mirabal sisters that occurred in 1960 in the sister Dominican Republic. There are participating in the Campaign more than 6,000 organizations, public officials, governments, United Nations (UN) agencies and countless people from more than 180 countries around the world. In Puerto Rico, over 40 organizations, agencies and educational institutions join forces to carry out diverse activities around the country.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign was launched in 1991 and is coordinated internationally by the Center for Global Women’s Leadership. This year, the campaign will focus on raising awareness about violence against women (VAW), considering the continued impunity of femicide. Therefore we focus on the issue of "femicide or the killing of women on the basis of gender" in certain population groups that were more vulnerable. For information on the international campaign go to the official site www.16dayscampaign.org to read more and share content on your social networks. Also, you can follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/16DaysCampaign
For Puerto Rico, the Permanent Commission for the Defense of Human Rights of the CPTSPR has developed this socio-educational guide in Spanish with suggested activities for each of the 16 Days of Activism beginning with the use of the violet t-shirt and the placement of banners or content on social networks from Thursday, November 25. This year, we close the campaign with the sixth Human Rights Community Festival on December, 10, when International Human Rights Day is celebrated.
In the 2022 version of this guide, we decided to address the issue of the global campaign about femicides and gender-based murders of women in a comprehensive manner. You will find a variety of activities that you can do individually, with the people at home, or in your place of employment presencial or virtually. The suggested activities range from: reading stories; sending messages, information, phrases and images through social networks or to print and exhibit in strategic places; articles, essays and poems to share and talk about; suggestions to play; resources for the projection of films and documentaries; provoke analysis and reflection with texts and videos on different topics, among others activities. We encourage you to do at least one of these activities on one of the campaign days to join the thousands of people around the world involved in activism against gender violence. Also, remember to take photos of the activities you do to hang in our gallery and on our Facebook page or tag the photo with the hashtag: #EndFeminicide.
The effects of Hurricane Fiona, the pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the insufficient response of the State to protect the health, security and welfare of the people have presented us with new challenges that require individual and collective solutions. Let us continue our efforts throughout the year, from 16 to 365 days of activism, to promote the human rights of women and girls. A world without violence is possible and this moment requires unparalleled courage and joint action to make this vision real.
On Tuesday, November 23, we invite you to join the campaign of the COORDINADORA PAZ PARA LA MUJER wearing violet and to share this socio-educational guide so that more people join us. Today more than ever it is necessary to continue educating ourselves to end gender violence in Puerto Rico and in the world.
Larry E. Alicea RodrÃguez President 2021-2024
