INTERNATIONAL DAY TO ELIMINATE V

INTERNATIONAL DAY TO ELIMINATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
November 25, 2012

The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is an occasion for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women. It has been observed on November 25 each year since 2000.

Courtesy United Nations http://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/

What do people do?

Various activities are arranged around the world to draw attention to the need for continuing action to eliminate violence against women, projects to enable women and their children to escape violence and campaigns to educate people about the consequences of violence against women. Locally, women's groups may organize rallies, communal meals, fundraising activities and present research on violence against women in their own communities.

An ongoing campaign that people are encouraged to participate in, especially around this time of the year when awareness levels for the day are high, is the “Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign”. Through the campaign, anyone can add their name to a growing movement of people who speak out to put a halt to human rights violations against women.

Background

On November 25, 1960, three sisters, Patria Mercedes Mirabal, María Argentina Minerva Mirabal and Antonia María Teresa Mirabal, were assassinated in the Dominican Republic on the orders of the Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo. The Mirabel sisters fought hard to end Trujillo's dictatorship. Activists on women's rights have observed a day against violence on the anniversary of the deaths of these three women since 1981.

On December 17, 1999, November 25 was designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the UN General Assembly. Each year observances around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women concentrate on a particular theme, such as “Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles” (2008).

Background:
UN Security Council Resolution 1820: Call to action to End Violence Against Women and Girls
UN General Assembly Resolution 54/134: Designating November 25 and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and,
Inviting Governments, relevant agencies, bodies, funds and programmes of the UN, and other international organizations and non-governmental organizations, to organize on that day activities designed to raise public awareness of the problem of violence against women.

How the Date Came to be November 25; The Story of the three Mirabal Sisters of the Dominican Republic.


Patria, Maria and Minerva Mirabal Original Images Owned by the Mirabal Family courtesy Colonial Zone-Dominican Republic		A commemorative stamp honouring the 25th anniversary of their deaths, 1985 courtesy Wikipedia

Los Hermanas Mirables/ The Mirabal Sisters. Four Dominican women from Salcedo, Dominican Republic. These women followed their convictions with bravery and selflessness to fight for what they believed. To fight against a dictator's rule they felt was wrong. Three of them - Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa - gave their lives for their cause. They were killed by some henchmen following the Dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo orders. They were a threat to this commanding man because they were involved with trying to overthrow his cruel, ruthless and fascist government. The families' first run-in with Trujillo was at a party to which they were invited. The family left early. Trujillo was angry about this so he had the father, Don Enrique, arrested (no one was permitted to leave a party before Trujillo). Minerva and Doña Chea were also arrested the following day. Every day Minerva was savagely tortured, raped and interrogated by two of Trujillo's men. She refused to write a letter of apology to Trujillo. Since the family was well connected, they knew the right people. They got Trujillo's brother, with whom they had acquaintance, to intercede for them and have the family members that were imprisoned released. They were again arrested a few years later and were always in fear of Trujillos men. This constant fear and stress led to Don Enrique, the girls father's, death on December 14, 1953. The group the Mirabal sisters helped form that fought against the Trujillo regimen was known as the Movement of the Fourteenth of June. The sisters were known as Las Mariposas/ The Butterflies. On November 25, 1960 Trujillo decided he had enough of the sisters trouble making and decided it was time to get rid of them. He sent his men to intercept the three women on their return home from visiting their husbands who were incarcerated. Trujillo had these men imprisoned in hopes that it would make the ladies shut up and stop their activities, which it did not. The sisters' car was stopped. They were led into a sugarcane field. Here they were mercilessly beaten, raped and strangled to death. Then their car was taken to a mountain known as La Cumbre, between Santiago and Puerto Plata, and thrown off. Trujillo thought he was finally free of "the problem." But what happened was just the opposite of what he had hoped. The plan failed. The people of the Dominican Republic, along with the Catholic church, were outraged. These ladies' lives were cut short because of their convictions. Trujillo, with this action brought more attention to the rebellion. Instead of eliminating the over throw of his dictatorship, he instead brought its downfall. This contributed to his assassination in 1961, only six months later.

The International Day Against Violence Towards Women was accepted on December 1999. At the 54th session of the United Nations General Assembly was adopted Resolution 54/134. This resolution declared November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day was chosen because on November 25th, 1960 is when the three Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa, from Dominican Republic were violently assassinated for their political activism. The sisters, known as the "Unforgettable Butterflies," became a symbol of the crisis of violence against women in Latin America. This date was chosen to commemorate their lives and promote global recognition of gender violence, and has been observed in Latin America since the 1980s.

Representing IAWP

IAWP Offices and Incumbents for the years 2012 - 2015

The listing above is maintained on the individual web pages. Please refer to the appropriate section for IAWP contacts:

Members of the International Association of Women Police



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Updated twice a year following IAWP Board Meetings (3-8-2012)

INTERNATIONAL DAY TO ELIMINATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN November 25, 2012