In the Colombian city of Apartadó, more than 70 survivors of conflict-related sexual violence joined a sit-in in December organised by the Mujeres del Plantón, a women’s network that brings together survivors from across the Urabá region.
Dressed in orange to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism, the women sat together with placards bearing messages of support to one another: “No one is alone, here we are together,” one read.
San Diego Zambrano holds a handmade sign that says “women are reclaiming power over their past.”
“The Mujeres del Plantón movement has helped me a great deal because I have overcome my pain. I have worked through the grief, that silence I carried when I couldn’t speak,” she says before the sit-in. “We have been able to support many women who kept that silence inside them, and now they are women who speak and have told the truth.”
The sit-in “is aimed at the whole community,” adds Katy Rios, a fellow member of the movement. “Every time we stage a sit-in, we do so because we want more women to do the work we’re doing, to recognise their rights, and to speak up for themselves, those who remained silent. Today, we are the voices of those who have not spoken.”
To prepare, women from across Urabá came together, meeting in kitchens and courtyards to craft placards and banners for the event. Others bring artwork they made during Renace sessions, a pilot scheme trialing emotional rehabilitation therapies for survivors across Colombia.
Fanny Escobar, the network’s founder, speaks with the women before the event. There is a clear sense of support and camaraderie among the women.
“We have different stories, some sadder than others, but all of us are victims of sexual violence by armed groups, and so we are fighting for that reparation, says Julia Nuñez.
Ma Fernanda Suárez speaks to the crowd as they gather outside the Apartadó city hall. She later tells GSF what the network means to her:
“They always give us warmth and love,” she says. “They are very resilient and courageous women, and we always draw strength from the energy of everyone. We are a family.”
GSF supports Mujeres del Plantón as part of our wider work in Colombia. Learn more here.