[1]Image tweeted by Mexican legislator Alejandro Montano Twitter user @lejandromontano.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women [2] has its origin in Dominican Republic and Colombia, and Twitter users around Latin America expressed their support for the campaign with a series of hashtags.
In 1960, on November 25, Rafael Leónidas Trujillo [3]‘s regime ordered the assassination of three political activists – the Mirabal sisters. This act marked the beginning of the end of dictatorship in Dominican Republic and became a symbolic date for gender equality.
With the support of 80 countries, November 25 was declared the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women [2] at the first Feminist Encuentro for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bogota, Colombia, July 18-21, 1981.
Using the hashtags #HeForShe [4], #DiaNoViolenciaContraLaMujer [5] (#NoViolenceAgainstWomenDay), #PorLasMujeres [6] (#ForTheWomen), and #NiConElPetaloDeUnaRosa [7] (#NotEvenWithThePetalOfARose), Twitter users joined the campaign. Colombian actors and couple Mónica Fonseca (@FonsecaMonica [8]) and Juan Pablo Raba (@juanpabloraba [9]) shared the following picture of him showing support by wearing red lipstick:
#NiConElPetaloDeUnaRosa [7] #HeForShe [4] Trabajar por y con los jóvenes como defensores del cambio @juanpabloraba [9] pic.twitter.com/DqjddVOIAP [10]
— Mónica Fonseca (@FonsecaMonica) November 25, 2014 [11]
#NotEvenWithThePetalOfARose [7]
#HeForShe [4] Work for and with the youth as advocates of change
While TV host and model Laura Pinzón (@AzulaNipron [12]) said:
#PorLasMujeres [6] La mejor campaña es no admitir la impunidad a la violencia contra la mujer #NiConElPetaloDeUnaRosa [7]
— Laura Pinzón (@AzulaNipron) November 26, 2014 [13]
#ForTheWomen [6]The best campaign is not to admit the impunity for violence against women #NotEvenWithThePetalOfARose [7]
Dominican Betty Sanz (@dafen5 [12]) recalled our commitment with this issue:
“Todos somos responsables de prevenir y poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas.” #DiaNoViolenciaContraLaMujer [5]
— Betty Sanz (@dafen5) November 25, 2014 [14]
Everyone has a responsibility to prevent and end violence against women and girls.#NoViolenceAgainstWomenDay [15]
Mexican legislator Alejandro Montano (@lejandromontano [16]) said a society is better when women are not mistreated:
Una mejor sociedad es la que no toca, no hiere y no lastima a una mujer #DiaNoViolenciaContraLaMujer [5] pic.twitter.com/Wohro3UQIs [17]
— Alejandro Montano (@lejandromontano) November 25, 2014 [1]
A better society is the one which does not mishandle, hurt or injure a woman #NoViolenceAgainstWomenDay [15]
While Alessandra Scaniglia (@leiesensuale [18]) expreses that sometimes violence against women came also from other women and in her tweet reflects the complex debates about femininity and feminism.
¿Violencia machista? De las peores violencias q he visto ha sido de una mujer a otra mujer. Sobretodo de una feminazi a una mujer femenina.
— Alessandra Scaniglia (@leiesensuale) November 25, 2014 [19]
Macho violence? One of the worst violences I ever saw is woman against woman. Especially from a feminazi against a feminine woman.
And Nachita Arrobo (@nachita_arrobo [20]) staged that the commitment around the topic of gender must be everyone's:
Hijas hermanas tías madres abuelas amigas primas todas juntas #DiaNoViolenciaContraLaMujer [5] pic.twitter.com/hHf3FijECk [21]
— Nachita Arrobo (@nachita_arrobo) November 26, 2013 [22]
Daughters sisters aunts mothers grandmothers friends cousins all together.#NoViolenceAgainstWomenDay [15]
Other efforts continued the conversation inside and outside Colombia. “He for She”, the global campaign for the prevention of violence against women led by the United Nations used the Twitter account: @HeforShe [23]. Also, the issue of violence against women is frequently addressed [24] in the journal Humanum.
These are just some of the actions that have taken place to promote gender equality and to fight violence against women. Global Voices follows many of these topics in Women and Gender [25], paying special attention to dialogues in citizen media.
Also see Global Voices’ special coverage of the campaign16 days to end up gender-based violence [26].