September 2008

CENTRAL AMERICAN FEMINIST NETWORK AGAINST VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN

During the last week of July in Guatemala, Horizons of Friendship welcomed 25 women and men from throughout Central America to the first workshop of its Regional Project to End Violence against Women. The participants came from 11 of Horizons’ partner organizations and will go back to their communities to train local leaders to lead gender-based violence prevention initiatives.

This regional project is helping to mobilize citizens to stop the very troubling trend referred to as feminicide – an increase in the systematic killing of women coupled with inadequate state protection, police and judicial systems.

“We have to raise awareness amongst ourselves on what the problem is, what is causing the increase in killings of women, and how each and every one of us can take steps to build a society free of violence” states Maria Luisa Prienfelk, the Project Coordinator, in referring to the goals of this workshop.

The workshop was lead by Maria Luisa and Ana Carcedo, the project’s Research Coordinator and member of the Central American Feminist Network against Violence towards Women, which is jointly implementing the project with Horizons.

Participants got to know each other and shared how violence towards women is manifested in their communities. They were introduced to the concept that life without violence towards women is a basic human right and also a state responsibility.  Participants explored how gender violence is rooted in unequal power relations between men and women, and how it affects women’s sense of self and general wellbeing. Then they explored ways communities can come together to prevent violence and to be supportive to victims and their families.  They looked at how to lead information and awareness-raising campaigns and to work towards equitable and respectful gender relations within families, in schools and in all social relationships.

A key goal of this workshop was for participants to realize that gender violence affects everyone. This is clearly stated in the Training Manual on Gender Violence Prevention, presented at the workshop, as such. “It isn’t “other” women that are being assassinated, it is our daughters, sisters, mothers, partners, friends… all women are at risk. We are all at risk. This is why we can all contribute to solving this problem.”

Content Outline of the Training Manual on Gender Violence Prevention:

•  Conceptualization of Violence against Women: to live without violence is a Human Right
• Violence against Women as a structural problem: review of myths on causes of violence against women;
• Diverse Manifestations of Violence against Women (physical, emotional, sexual, patrimonial, symbolic, active or passive) and dynamics ( married couples, boyfriend, ex-partners, family, sexual harassment at work, , community, social circles, sexual attacks, child abuse, incest, trafficking of girls and women, sexual exploitation, violence for sex workers);
• Institutional violence and re-victimization;
• Thinking about abused women: review of stereotypes of weak, dependent, persistent trauma, etc. The importance of empowerment and autonomy in adult women;
• Femicide in Central America: why is it on the increase in this region? Defining the problem with statistics, different scenarios and state responses;
• Violence against Women is no longer a private issue: state responsibility, international conventions and instruments, strengths and weaknesses of public policy;
• What can we do to support an abused woman? (personal and civil society responses), Importance of getting to know existent resources;
• What can we do to support an abused girl? (personal and civil society responses, Support to mothers and families, Need to know existent resources;
• What can we do to prevent Violence against Women in our communities: information and awareness-raising, working towards equitable and respectful relations (family, schools, relationships), appreciate diversity, question stereotypes,
• What can we do promote change at a national level? Develop ties between local and national levels, participate in networks, campaigns, training sessions, etc.