Meet Monique Altschul, Executive Director for FundaciĢ_n Mujeres en Iguladad (MEI) and a featured blogger for our participation in the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
Seven Voices Against Gender Violence
Argentina continues to struggle in combating gender based violence (GBV). Survivors who attempt to access medical, legal and civil services to help combat GBV are faced with many barriers. To break these barriers GBV prevention and assistance must improve throughout the country.
That’s why I founded FundaciĢ_n Mujeres en Iguladad (MEI). The organization uses targeted trainings, advocacy campaigns and digital communication to prevent violence against women and girls. Our newest campaign, “Seven Voices Against Gender Violence,” is an innovative collaboration of information through digital classrooms, mass communication and advocacy campaigns on social networks and radio.
The digital classroom is geared towards high-school teachers, justice members, government officials, and NGO leaders with a focus on:
- trafficking in women and girls and sexual exploitation
- obstetric violence, symbolic and media violence
- psychological and legal assistance for GBV cases
- national and international legislation combating gender based violence
The biggest obstacle to assist victims has been the lack of public policies and adequate budget. However, we are hopeful that as there becomes growing interaction between government and civil society, policies and budget will reflect the importance of the issue.
In addition to “Seven Voices,” we have developed a national and international advocacy campaign on Change.com denouncing the false Parent Alienation Syndrome (PAS). Parent Alienation Syndrome is a technique used in Argentinean family courts to award child custody to the perpetrator of GBV instead of the survivor. We have also counseled and legally supported mothers who have been victims of PAS rulings. Our work resulted in a Parliamentarian Declaration and several important training sessions.
Our Access to Information Campaign “We want to know: who protects us from gender violence?” questions the 14 Executive Branch Ministers about what policies, activities and budget allocations have been developed in response to the National Law to Prevent the Violence Against Women.
It would be a great contribution for our campaign and organization if readers of the Vital Voices blog would sign on to our campaign by sending an email to: mujeresenigualdad@infovia.com.ar.
MEI continues to work with every sector of Argentinean society through every medium available to ensure violence against women is stopped in our lifetime. Please help us lead this fight.
Links:
http://www.mujeresenigualdad.org.ar
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/fundacion.mujeresenigualdad
https://www.facebook.com/sietevocesarg
http://www.facebook.com/violencianunca
Twitter:
@violenciaNUNCA
@FundMujeresIgua
YouTube: