In 1981 the first Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encounter was celebrated. There November 25 was named the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in remembrance of the assassination of the Mirabal sisters.
Patria Mirabal, Minerva Mirabal, and María Teresa Mirabal were three sisters from the Dominican Republic who were fervently opposed to the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo. They were clubbed to death on this day in 1960.
As a result, November 25 is celebrated in their honor to promote the elimination of violence against women.
In Peru, Cuzco is one of the places which has the most violence against women and the district of Santiago is one of the most affected. In that part of the city the most physical, psychological, and sexual violence against women is found.
It is critical, in any of these cases, to recognize that poverty, our society, and the understanding of gender leads to this situation in which all women, and young women especially, are placed at risk.
In recognition of the problems all over the world, last February 14th the One Billion Rising (Un Billón de Pié) movement spring up. This was a protest that relied on a different style. It was carried out by dancing in the streets, with music and choreography that shoed large numbers of people supporting an end to violence against women by dancing.
Just as this last February 14th, today, Saturday the 23rd of November a flash mob will form in Cuzco as an urban intervention named “Violence against Women Does not Make You More of a Man”. This event will spring from the participation of the general public including youth, adolescents, children, etc. People will dance in the streets and will, by this means, make their message get through to people young and old.
It will have two acts. One will be carried out in the Plaza of Santiago and the other in the Plazoleta Espinar de Cuzco. The event is organized and carried out by the Youth Project Sipas Wayna of the Pukllasunchis Association. It is responsible for teaching the choreography and drawing a public. In addition the following also sponsor the event. The Table of Struggle against Violence (La Mesa de Lucha Contra la Violencia) and the Municipality of Cuzco, among others
It is hoped that many people will be present for this event in the hope of changing hearts and souls to diminish the violence that stalks women every day.
In addition, on Sunday, November 24th, a mural will be put up with information about violence against women. There will be phrases, thoughts, etc. The wall will be located on the bridge of the national University San Antonio Abad of Cuzco to make all who go over the bridge more sensitive to the issues of violence against women.
On Monday, November 25, the central day to Eliminate Violence against Women, another wall with information on the theme will be put up, this time in the Plaza de Armas of the city of Cuzco under the Portal de la Compañía. These information walls are the responsibility of The Youth Project Sipas Wayna of the Pukllasunchis Association.
