20 Women from 10 countries gather for Communications Exchange & Workshop
Horizons and the Steelworkers Humanity Fund Host an Exchange and a Workshop on Communications to Promote Equity in Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Participants holding hands around the sacred altar at the start of the workshop.
Effective communication is fundamental to any relationship. From marriages to friendships, to organizational partnerships and government relations, effective communication is vital in order to inspire and encourage positive change, social justice, and development around the world. From September 16-23, 2019, Horizons and the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is hosting a Communications Exchange and Workshop with Indigenous and non-Indigenous female leaders from Canada, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Panama, and Peru. Together, we have a common goal:
To strengthen each others’ communications skills in order to advance gender equality in our communities.
Participants holding hands during the opening ceremonies of the workshop.
Throughout the week, participants will take part in a variety of activities that will challenge and develop their communications skills. These activities provide participants the opportunity to reflect on their ability to communicate clearly and concisely in their personal and professional lives, and how they can better leverage communications (including social media) to advance their organization’s mission.
Hermelinda Bonilla from the National Federation of Mine and Metal Workers of Peru working away during an activity.
Participants are reporting that machismo (strong or aggressive masculine control) and hostile political environments are threatening their ability to effectively communicate and advance gender equality in their communities. With ongoing civil unrest in Latin America, particularly in the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras) and Nicaragua, women often find themselves excluded or threatened by their male-counterparts in the workplace and communities. Throughout the exchange, participants will learn and exchange strategies and experiences that will assist them in overcoming these issues, and serve as an opportunity for them to create lasting relationships which could serve as a springboard for further organizational collaboration.
Handing out supplies for the session’s activity!
We invite you to stay tuned for our next blog post, as the group visits the Indigenous Térraba and Boruca communities in Costa Rica to learn about their successes and challenges towards achieving greater autonomy for Indigenous groups in the region.
More photos below.
(left to right) Katherine Martinez and Cristina Alvarado from Visitacion Padilla, Women’s Movement for Peace (Honduras) leading waking everyone up with an interactive dance!
(From left to right) Doris Borst from the Association of Indigenous Women from the Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast (AMICA), Elides Rivera from Mano de Tigre, Costa Rica, and Gilbert Maroto from CEDIN Indigena, Costa Rica.
(from left to right) Maude Raiche, Misty Lafond, and Donna Wingrove from the United Steelworkers in Canada.