Africa – Women on the Move: Communicators to meet Women who Suffer Violence in their Migratory Processes
This week a group of Basque communicators and journalists have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in order to learn first hand about the situation of the country, and in particular the situation of women forced to leave their homes, either displaced within their own country or forced to migrate.
Alboan, Entreculturas, the Jesuit Migrant Service of Spain (SJM-E) and the Ellacuría Foundation have promoted this trip, which is part of the Women on the Move program, with the aim of raising awareness of the various forms of violence suffered by women in the migration process, from the stories of the women themselves and from the meeting with communicators from DR. Congo.
Africa Baeta (EITB), Lorena Fernandez (University of Deusto and Lorehatur.net), Maddi Ane Toperena (Berria), Marta Martinez (Grupo Noticias), Pilar Kaltzada (Linking Ideas) and Teresa Villaverde (Pikara Magazine), and women communicators from DR Congo as Caddy Adzuba, Princess of Asturias Award for Concord or Julienne Baseke, director of AFEM, will jointly address a reality with multiple edges.
The growing trend of the feminization of migration, the double discrimination they face for being migrants and for being women, and the invisibility of this reality and its consequences such as human trafficking, labor and sexual exploitation, various forms of violence, etc., demand visibility and denunciation in order to raise awareness, involve and mobilize citizens in the defense of women's rights from the origin, during transit and upon arrival at their destination.
Through the generation of spaces for meeting and dialogue between women communicators from both contexts, local and European, we seek to exchange knowledge and experiences, key to deepen the causes that drive or force women to migrate; to know the strategic work of communication and denunciation of local organizations such as AFEM; and to listen and take charge of the needs, demands and dreams of women living in migratory contexts in Bukavu, DRC.
The Women on the Move-Emakumeok Martxan project is supported by the Basque Agency for Development Cooperation and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
The political and social situation in the DR Congo is extremely complex. In the last two decades the country has been the scene of internal and regional conflicts that have created repeated humanitarian crises. The roots of these conflicts lie in geopolitical interests and the dispute for control of the enormous wealth of mineral resources. The DRC has approximately 4.5 million internally displaced persons and 811,000 refugees in neighboring countries and in southern Africa (UNHCR, 2018). In this context, women and girls are used as a weapon of war, and make the country one of those with the most cases of gender-based violence, in its various forms, on the planet.
Source: Alboan
Related Posts:
The Justice in Mining network has advanced efforts to protect communities affected by mining. Key achievements include stronger collaboration among 22 Jesuit institutions, documenting crucial case studies and advocating for corporate accountability as demand for critical minerals grows.
The Central American Province of the Society of Jesus marks the first anniversary of the Nicaraguan government's confiscation of the Central American University, condemning the violation of education rights and academic freedom. They call for an end to repression, the release of political prisoners, and a return to dialogue and justice.
On the memorial day of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, J. Baptiste, a Jesuit genocide survivor from Rwanda, shared his story of the tragic event. On behalf of fellow Rwandans, he concluded with a prayer: "My prayer today is to find the last remains of the victims…, then [this] commemoration will mean something different. Only then will our wounds heal and the ongoing reconciliation process move faster."
For April, the Holy Father chose to pray particularly for women, the recognition of their dignity and role in society: "Let us pray that the dignity and worth of women be recognised in every culture and for an end to the discrimination they face in various parts of the world".
Resource persons at the "Cobalt Blue" webinar organised by the Canadian Jesuit International stressed the root causes of mining misery: the legacy of colonialism, racism, unchecked consumerism, and a greedy global economic-political system that overlooks ethical and environmental concerns are among the main reasons for the untold suffering caused by mining and the extraction of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Representatives of nine provinces of CPAL met in person in Bogotá, Colombia. It was an opportunity to reaffirm their dreams and commitment to continue walking together, training on, and reflecting upon the impact of gender equality in the apostolic body of the Society of Jesus in the Latin American and Caribbean territories.
