Ordinary women doing extraordinary things

During the past 4 years I have seen my country fall into an unnecessary war that paradoxically seems to seek the end of violence through the use of more violence. Insecurity in Mexico is an issue that has been recently hogging the headlines of national and international newspapers, mainly by the increasing cruelty of the crimes committed. They talk about the number of deaths, the drugs seized, the trafficked weapons, the dirty cops, among other things, but what the headlines don’t talk about, or very little, are the stories about the human and social drama that women and girls of this country are going through. They seem to forget that we also result affected by armed conflicts and in very different ways than men do, most of all because of the gender inequalities and the type of attacks we are subjected to.

During these years, our freedoms have been reduced in every way, and our bodies are back to being war trophies. In such a hostile environment, being an agent of change or a human rights defender is really a task that can often mean signing your death sentence, as was the case of Marisela Escobedo Ortiz and other brave women before her, who have been viciously murdered for daring to speak out for their daughters, mothers, sisters, aunts, and friends missing and murdered. For me this kind of fear and intimidation are the main barriers that prevent many women in my country from taking the streets to demand justice for the abuses and crimes committed before and during this war. Yet there are examples of ordinary women doing extraordinary things for peace in Mexico, such as the network of Peaceful Alternatives (in which I collaborate), or the association May Our Daughters Return Home, Justice For Our Daughters, and many others. They, we, have managed to transform our pain and fear into courage, and I'm proud to know that they are Mexican women like me, seeking solutions to the challenges our country is facing nowadays.

Other ways in which this and other barriers can be eliminated is precisely through communities like Pulse Wire, which allow you to exchange action alerts, resources and solutions with other women around the world. The support of the international community is necessary especially in countries like mine where the voice of women is constantly silenced. We need to understand that Peace is an endless process on which depends the future of our families.

We will not be overcome by fear: If they touch one, they touch all of us.