ParlAmericas commemorates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
On Wednesday, November 25, on the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the I International Gathering for a Women Parliamentarian Agenda was held. The gathering was organized by Member of Congress Arlette Contreras (Peru), and its objective was to share experiences and key normative advances in Latin American parliaments towards ending violence against women. It featured a distinguished panel of parliamentarians that included: Member of the Provincial Legislature Mercedes Trimarchi (Argentina); Senator Rosa Gálvez (Canada), vice-chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas; Member of the Chamber of Deputies Daniella Cicardini (Chile); Representative Irma Luz Herrera (Colombia); and Senator Antares Vázquez (Mexico), member of the Board of Directors of ParlAmericas.
Member of the National Assembly Karina Arteaga (Ecuador), vice-president for South America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, also participated in this experts’ panel, giving remarks on the importance of a regional, joint agenda in which parliamentarians and civil society, including young people, work together and exchange experiences and strategies to counter the crisis of violence against women, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, as part of its commemoration of November 25, ParlAmericas launched a special interview with the activist and politician Minou Tavárez Mirabal, the daughter of Minerva Mirabal. The assassination of Minerva and her sisters, María Teresa and Patria, led to the declaration of November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The legacy of resistance of the Mirabal sisters during the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic continues to serve as a source of inspiration for women around the world working to end violence against women. In the interview, which took place at the Mirabal Sisters’ House-Museum, Ms. Mirabal underscores the importance of persevering in social and political efforts to eradicate violence against women, an essential aspect of realizing gender equality.
Throughout this year’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (November 25 – December 10), ParlAmericas will be launching a series of interviews with parliamentarians from across the Americas and the Caribbean in which they share their perspectives on the theme of this year’s UNiTE 2020 campaign, “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!” These interviews – available on YouTube – are a collaboration with UN Women, the National Forum of Women in Political Parties of Panama (FONAMUPP, in Spanish), and Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL).
For more information on the work carried out by ParlAmericas, visit www.parlamericas.org and follow @ParlAmericas on social media.
