Women who work for women, this is how “Callejeras” is defined, a feminist collective that does social work in the center of Medellín and bets on Sorority.
By: Tatiana Balvin
Two and a half years ago, a group of anthropologists, nurses, psychologists, artists, and communicators came together with the social purpose of creating care networks for female street dwellers. They frequently meet in the afternoon and sometimes at night to bring activities of all kinds to sectors such as Niquitao and Parque Berrío. The objective is to serve women and appropriate, without fear, the spaces.
The female fear of being on the street is another of the paradigms that the Callejeras want to eliminate with their meetings. “We must bet on the appropriation of public space because historically it has been denied to us, it is to give us an important place within the construction of the city, one more in line with what we dream of and need,” explains Daniela Araque, one of the founders of the Collective. .
The center for them is a space to investigate and resignify, daily they bet on building and leaving their mark so that at some point this sector is less aggressive for women. “Comuna 10 is more violent against us than against the men,” explains Araque.
Among the multiple activities they carry out on the street, this group also brings reading, writing and orality tools to women, this is one of their commitments to appropriation of public space through art and culture. “Many don’t know how to read, for example, or because they don’t know how to write, they can’t narrate, or they can’t tell a story. This is important because women also take psychosocial tools with them,” says Tatiana Herrera, spokesperson for the group.
They have built social networks, newspapers, stories and podcasts with the stories of women in the center of the city, how they perceive it and also how to make it more enjoyable for all.
They use the metaphor of “Flowers that break the Asphalt” to give an account of that dream that they forge: to build a center of Medellín in which little by little women can live calmer, happier and where everyone can fit.
In addition to civil society What is being done at the center to guarantee safe spaces for women?
The municipal administration has also been concerned that passers-by are empowered and have zero tolerance of sexual harassment and violence in public spaces and at this time there are four care and protection mechanisms active.
“We care about safety, life and guaranteeing the rights of the women who live in Comuna 10, we have activated the Free of Violence campaign that seeks to prevent; We have also articulated with the women of Asotintos to have a coffee while we talk about responsible and non-violent masculinities” says Angélica Ortiz, secretary of the Women of Medellín.
During 2022 and what has elapsed this year, 537 women from commune 10 – La Candelaria have been attended through the 123 woman line, a figure that denotes an increase in demand for this mechanism to guarantee rights against women. gender-based violence. Of these, 349 women received care; We also assisted 161 in the psycho-legal mechanism; 16 received temporary protection in foster homes and 11 women received assistance from the technical defense mechanism in legal representation processes.
What is the real situation of the women who live or transit in the center?
Parque de Berrío, Playa con Junín, Parque San Antonio and Carabobo are the places in Comuna 10 where gender-based violence occurs most in the center, which is why campaigns or activations are necessary to teach how to act and which routes Activate when detecting situations that put the safety and lives of women at risk.
A task that the Secretariat for Women of Medellín is rigorously undertaking these days, in addition to ensuring the guarantee of rights, is the intensification of conversations around care and unpaid work with territorial actors to enforce respect for the rights.
“We have articulated with the JAL, Human Rights Table, the Parque Berrío Police Station, among other institutions of Comuna 10 and we have also carried out mobile dialogues and workshops with individual or collective public transport drivers with companies such as Transconor, Cootranssmallat, Conducciones Palenque Robledal, Aranjuez Anillo, Aranjuez Santa Cruz”, emphasizes Ortiz, the Secretary for Women of Medellín.
In summary, today there are two fronts, one organizational of the feminist society and the other institutional, both with a common objective that is to popularize gender awareness in the center and gradually eliminate behaviors that impede the development of women in daily life. as reality transformers.
It may also interest you: The center already has its content creator