Activists and groups advocating for an end to violence against women in Guanacaste will rally this Saturday, November 23, at 4 p.m., starting from the central park in Cañas. For the first time, this canton will host a demonstration organized by civil society in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, commemorated worldwide on November 25.
The march is being convened and organized by GuanaDefensoras, a collective of women and non-binary activists living in Guanacaste, fighting against social, environmental, political, and economic injustices in the province.
Other organizations are also part of the call to action: Cañas ProCultural, the collectives Sámara Empoderada, Nicoya Feminista, Feministas Independientes de Liberia, and the organization Acceder. This week, the movement Dónde Está Daniela(Where is Daniela) joined as well, demanding the reactivation of the search for Daniela Escobar, who was last seen on October 15.
The members agreed to join forces so that, instead of having multiple activities happening simultaneously with potentially low turnout, efforts would be concentrated more effectively in one place.
“Normally, what is expected is for each community to have its own march, but what we’ve learned is that we end up being just two or three people in each location. To make an impact, to have more presence and strength, we decided to choose one location for each [commemorative] date,” explained Tatiana Pochet, spokesperson for GuanaDefensoras and part of the research and data team at the organization Acceder.
The march in Cañas will be a space for “resistance in joy,” as defined by Pochet, where participating collectives will read statements that will later be consolidated into a general declaration.
The event will also highlight critical issues affecting women in the region, such as the lack of municipal women’s offices and the poor implementation of programs to support victims of violence.
Criticism of the management of Inamu and the Women’s Offices
One of the issues raising significant concern among GuanaDefensoras activists is the management of the National Institute for Women (Inamu) and municipal women’s offices, which they consider insufficient and poorly executed.
One thing that deeply pains us is the Municipal Women’s Offices, which don’t exist [in all cantons],” said Pochet, adding that even in the cantons where these offices do exist, their management needs significant improvement.
The organizers also criticize the lack of a real focus on preventing and eradicating gender-based violence, pointing out that programs like “Espacios Seguros” by Inamu fail to meet the necessary standards to protect victims. “As it is currently structured, planned, and implemented, we feel it is practically a mockery,” said the activist.
Through this program, businesses (such as shops, small enterprises, transportation services, and temporary accommodations) are trained and identified as places where women can seek refuge and assistance when facing street harassment or dangerous situations.
We know of cases where people have been handed the signs [identifying them as ‘safe spaces’] for free. We know there are violent individuals working in places claiming to be safe. We even know of cases where young women employed in these places have been mistreated by their own bosses, including for becoming pregnant,” added Pochet.
After the march, the organizers of GuanaDefensoras plan to hold a gathering, sponsored by Acceder, to share experiences, discuss self-care, and strengthen support networks among activists from various parts of Guanacaste.
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