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Women's Rights, Empowerment and Organization
In the San Vicente CRIPDES Region
April 5th, 2006
By Noel Andersen
"For CRIPDES, part of our goal is to make sure women are represented on the council and have a voice within community organization. All women are capable here."
-Marina Diaz, CRIPDES
For the past three weeks I have been working with SHARE's local partner, the Association for Rural Communities for the Development in El Salvador (CRIPDES) in San Vicente, where four SHARE sistering partnerships support CRIPDES' regional projects for women and youth. Thus far I have had opportunity to see just how involved CRIPDES is with creating community development throughout the region by fostering education, social consciousness, organization and infrastructure. Much of CRIPDES's success is based in its ability to promote and nurture women's rights, empowerment, personal growth and community participation to create sustainable solutions for development.
Throughout the month there have been many activities and community meetings that support organization and education among various women's groups. Since March 8th was International Women's Day, CRIPDES San Vicente and the Association for Women in San Carlos Lempa (ASMUR) organized a demonstration in the center of San Carlos Lempa the following Saturday, March 11th. They invited women from surrounding areas. Different women publicly spoke on the history of discrimination and abuse against women in El Salvador. CRIPDES and ASMUR encouraged future community involvement for women by participating in community councils and attending trainings on gender studies, women's rights and adult literacy. Speakers also highlighted the importance of women's involvement in the local and national political process prior to the elections.
 (Photo: Women listen to speakers at the International Women's Day Celebration)
At the women's committee in the community of Granzaso, members expressed to me their gratefulness to CRIPDES. One woman, Ana Rosales, commented, "Before, we saw ourselves as unimportant, without esteem. Now we have changed and we know we have importance." This year the women have promoted six different training workshops from CRIPDES and the Micro-region of Social Economics (MES) in Granzaso, related to women's rights, gender studies, sexuality and public speech. They are also part of a sustainable economic program in which five women are chosen according to their financial and family scenarios to raise cattle for small profits.
(Photo: Marina Diaz speaks with the Tres de Marzo community)
CRIPDES' Marina Diaz and I went to visit a community called "Tres de Marzo," regarding the process of gaining legal status for their council and developing a women's committee. Many of the women were intimidated by volunteering for the committee because of lack of literacy, or the fear of having more to do apart from the heavy workload of caring for their families. Marina spoke strongly to encourage participation, "For CRIPDES, part of our goal is to make sure women are represented on community councils and have a voice within community organization. All women are capable here." At the end of the meeting they had begun the formation of a women's committee with a president, vice-president and secretary.
(A memorial photo of Olga Estela set with flowers at her 11th commemoration)
Another women's celebration took place on March 21st, organized by ASMUR and CRIPDES, to commemorate the death of Olga Estela, killed on March 19th, 1985. Olga was honored for being one of the first women activists in the area, working as a teacher and promoting women's rights, gender equality and mental health during the difficult times of El Salvador's Civil War. Women from eighteen different communities in the area came to participate, listen, and watch arts presentations of dance and song. Maritza Amaya, Edith Portillo and Marina Diaz from CRIPDES-San Vicente were all keynote speakers at the celebration, promoting the progress of the women's empowerment struggle within San Vicente.
(Women stand and clap for the progress of women's rights in San Vicente)
The accompaniment of SHARE sistering partnerships in regional projects plays an essential role in furthering the cause of women's empowerment within San Vicente. Those who have been marginalized and abused by a patriarchal culture are now participating in primary roles of activism for positive social change. Although there remains much to do, the struggle for justice, community participation and sustainable development is strong in the work of CRIPDES and dependent on the organization of women leaders.
Seguimos Adelante,
Noel Andersen
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