Every year, November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which aims to raise awareness among the population and promote actions to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls around the world..
Gender violence is a violation of human rights, which unfortunately has become common today. According to the UN, this violation is “any act of violence that causes or may cause physical, sexual or psychological harm to women”.
This day originally, It is commemorated in memory of the Mirabal sisters: Patria, Minerva and María Teresapolitical activists from the Dominican Republic who fought against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the 1960s. The sisters were part of the June 14 Revolutionary Movement and openly opposed the regime, which cost them their lives.
On November 25, 1960, they were intercepted by regime agents, brutally murdered, and their bodies placed in a vehicle that was then thrown off a cliff to simulate an accident. This act generated outrage and became a symbol of resistance and fight against gender violence.
In 1981, during the First Feminist Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bogotá, November 25 was declared the Day of No Violence against Women. Later, in 1999, the UN officially recognized it as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Why is it important to commemorate 25N?
In Mexico, he Inegi through a National Survey on the Dynamics of Relationships in Homes, (ENDIREH) in 2016 revealed that 66 out of every 100 women aged 15 or older have suffered some type of violence throughout their lives.. Of them, 43.9% have experienced violence from their partner, and 53.1% have been victims of aggressors other than their partner.
It is important to commemorate this date to make visible and demand that the Mexican State prevent, address, punish and eradicate violence against women, whether it means implementing public policies, legislative reforms and institutional coordination mechanisms that seek to put an end to violence against women and girls in Mexico.
Commemorating November 25 is a call to global action to ensure that women and girls can live free of violence and discrimination.