Again this year we participated in different events for 8M - International Women's Day, both in Cali and Popayán. We believe it is important to keep fighting for the rights of girls and women and 8th of March is a day to mark this.
8M Cali
Liv and Salka participated in part of the demonstration that took place on 8th of March in Cali. There were several important topics on the agenda that all affect women every single day in Colombia.
Leidy Marcela - feminicidio
First of all, not that long ago, Leidy Marcela, a girl from a marginalized neighborhood in Cali was murdered, what we in Spanish call a feminicidio. There are no results in the investigation and the authorities have made very unfortunate comments about the case. Therefore, part of the events on 8M were dedicated to Leidy Marcela, and demanding security for girls and women in Cali.
Street food vendors
There were different performances, singing and celebrating the women who work every day to support their families. There have been some very unfortunate events related to selling food in the streets the last couple of weeks. The police has given out fines (of the amount of a minimum wage!) both to buyers and sellers of streetfood. This targets a lot of women, since there is not enough work here and therefore selling food in the street has become a way of surviving for many women. Celebrating Cali's street food women was therefore also an important point for the 8M 2019.
Women's football team
Last but not least, we took some time to support the Colombian women's national team in football. A couple of weeks ago, the team made a complaint about sexual harassement, and the conclusion was that the team was shut down. That is not a way to resolve the problem! Therefore: "Colombian women's team, we believe you!".
8M Popayán
Photo: Casa Fractal
Another year I, Nori, find myself in Popayán for the International Women’s Day, 8th of March, remembering that it is not a day of celebration, but rather a day of fighting alongside thousands of women all over the world, for our rights and for making this world a better place for girls and women.
This year I found that there were more activities compared to last year, a full program with events all over the city, which I was happy to see and participate in even though sadly I could not participate in everything.
Teje Popayán
I joined the work of “Colectivo Teje Popayán”, a collective of women who meet to knit and we started the slogan #vivasnostejemos. We made a little more than 1.000 knitted hearts to hand out to the women on 8M, to symbolize life and dignity of women, including the women who are no longer here.
Marching through the city
To start the day I joined a walk through the city to end at the central park. Together with the other girls from the collective Teje Popayán, we had made two big banners as you can see in the pictures.
In the park there were several activities all through the day: dance, music, poetry etc. To accompany these activities we hung the banners and started to hand out the hearts that we had prepared.
8M UniCauca
In the afternoon I participated in “Mujeres al Paraninfo” that was organized by women from Universidad del Cauca. El paraninfo is the most important auditorium at the university, and as a collective we also participated in this event by hanging wool and having the participants knit during the event at the university.
In the afternoon I participated in “Mujeres al Paraninfo” that was organized by women from Universidad del Cauca. El paraninfo is the most important auditorium at the university, and as a collective we also participated in this event by hanging wool and having the participants knit during the event at the university.
I had knitted beforehand a big uterus that was on the stage the whole time. The different things that participants knitted during the event were placed next to the uterus on stage. This was our part in the event, but what I found most important was when Salome Gómez Corrales, who forms part of the truth and memory commission talked about how women have suffered during the armed conflict, and how their voices are important in the construction of truth and peace in the country.
Keep knitting
The day ended with a meeting with the collective where we talked about today’s events and how it is important to keep knitting and meeting up in these groups of women from time to time. #Vivasnostejemos.
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