We Women Want Safe Cities

The Escuela Politica de Mujeres Pacificas (Political School of Women Pacifists) and several other womens groups organized a campaign called "Las mujeres queremos ciudades seguras" to raise awareness about the dangers that women encounter in the city and promote women's rights and freedom in Cali.

Several groups were dispatched to mark designated areas known to be dangerous for women with yellow tape saying "PELIGRO: El Machismo Mata". My group went to a bridge crossing over a highway and linking a health clinic to the bus terminal. During the day, the bridge is busy, but as soon as it gets dark, women prefer to run across the highway rather than walk alone on the bridge, where they risk being mugged.

After raising awareness by speaking with passersby, the groups rejoined in a park called San Antonio to view banners and alternative maps of the city; listen to speeches, poems and songs; watch traditional dances and celebrate local culture that "deserves to be enjoyed without fear".

Video by Rebecca Gerome, 2009 AP Fellow, Partner: IANSA Colombia, Location: Cali, Colombia

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Infogenero
• MAVI
• Mujer Arte y Vida
• Mujeres
• Cali
• Colombia
• Seguridad
• Safety
• Women's Rights

[philthygeezer]

I agree. Give a voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless.

Perhaps there is one real solution to making women safe around the globe: give them power by letting them arm themselves. Then let the pitiful miscreants try to mug and rape them without being shot. There will be a lot less misogyny in the world when Women and Men are truly equal in a risk and reward, economical sense. And a lot less muggers breathing good air.