Knowledge and Networks: Building a World Towards Feminist Justice
ÍNDEX
Introduction
The Board of Directors of Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia, A.C. extends its warmest greetings and wishes to convey the following: It is highly satisfying to affirm that our organization has been dedicated to strengthening the civic participation and leadership of women for over twenty-five years. During this time, we have established a significant presence both nationally and internationally, influencing public agendas and generating proposals for systemic change from a feminist perspective.
Under the leadership of María Eugenia Romero Contreras and an exceptional team of professionals, the organization has not only consolidated its foundation but also expanded its social impact and continuously updated its vision. Furthermore, our institutional development and operational team have been significantly strengthened.
We are now entering a period of leadership transition, which has been carefully prepared. Effective February 1, 2024, Adriana Jiménez Patlán, formerly the Director of Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Violence at our organization, will assume the role of General Director. The Board of Directors is committed to supporting this new phase with diverse and strategic perspectives. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your valuable support of Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia, A.C., in advancing the shared objectives of women’s rights. With our determination to ensure the continuity and success of these efforts, we remain at your service.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Pilar Muriedas Juárez
Arturo García Torres
Tajëëw Díaz Robles
Emily Barcklow D’Amica
Eleanor Blomstrom
Lisseth Pérez Vázquez
Raúl Arroyo González
Ccp María Eugenia Romero and Adriana Jiménez Patlán
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Our identity
Who are we?
Imagine a world where all people share a sense of belonging, where everyone has what they need to thrive. This is the world that Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia A.C. (Equidad) has been working tirelessly to build for over 27 years. We are not just an organization. We represent a feminist movement made up of people driven by a passion and an unwavering commitment to create transformative change from a feminist vision that improves the world we live in.
Why do we do it?
At our core is a commitment to feminisms and a belief that gender equality is the cornerstone of a just society. We know that by advancing women’s rights, we drive social change that uplifts people and impacts workplaces and the environment.
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Where do we do it?
At Equidad, we care about making a difference. That’s why we are actively involved at the community and state level, working hand-in-hand with people to bring tangible changes to their lives. But our commitment doesn’t stop there. We design strategies and actions to bring about meaningful change at the municipal, national, regional and even global levels. From advocating for justice in our communities to promoting just public policies in the spheres of power, every step we take brings us closer to the world we want.
How do we do it?
Our mission is clear: to promote gender equality and the rule of law. We do this by advocating for public policies with a gender perspective, strengthening the leadership of women, girls and young people and promoting women’s civic participation in all spheres of political and social life.
What do we do?
We are committed to strengthening the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by using our influence on the social, institutional and political landscape at all levels, from global forums to local communities. At the same time, we are firmly committed to defending the rights of all people, especially girls, adolescents and women, guaranteeing their access to sexual and reproductive health services, while fighting to prevent, address and eradicate all forms of violence. And, feminist and decolonial economic justice is not just a goal: it is our guiding principle. We affirm that domestic and care work must be understood as an axis of articulation that allows for the sustainability of life and as a basis for the social and economic development of a country. With these goals as our compass, we move towards a more just world for all people and the planet.
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Sexual
and Reproductive Rights Network in Mexico (ddeser) and the Youth Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Mexico (ddeser jóvenes)
At Equidad, we recognize the importance of working in communities at the local level. That is why, for the past 20 years, we have maintained two powerful national citizen networks: ddeser and ddeser jóvenes. These networks are made up of women leaders and young activists who promote sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR), the prevention of and attention to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and promote the leadership of women and young people.
How do ddeser and ddeser jóvenes networks contribute to gender equity?
• Training and education: They carry out educational and recreational activities, such as workshops, talks and information sessions, so that girls, adolescents, and women have the knowledge, skills and tools to know and defend their rights and actively participate in society.
• Promotion of equality: They raise awareness in local communities about the importance of gender equity and the prevention and eradication of VAWG.
• Advocacy: Promote changes in public policies to guarantee the full exercise of rights.
Through their work, these networks are transforming the lives of thousands of girls, adolescents, and women across the country.
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Chiapas
Quintana Roo
Puebla
CDMX
Tlaxcala
Querétaro
Hidalgo
Jalisco
Guerrero Estado de México
Oaxaca
Coahuila
ddeser Leaders
• Natalia Fernanda Tavizón Otero
• María del Rosario Texis Zúñiga
• Eduviges Villegas Pastrana
• Lluvia Elizeth Cervantes Contreras
• Lisseth Vázquez Pérez
• Jessica Pérez Téllez
• Karen Paulina Castellanos Vasconcelos
• Esperanza Arias Velázquez
• Martha Patricia Ortega Medellín
• Lizbet Hernández López
• Gabriela G. Aguilar Martín
• Roselia Gutiérrez Luis
• Laura Elizabeth Hernández Esquivel
• Valeria García Gaona
• Karen Guadalupe Osorio
• Sofía Robles Hernández
• Gady Aleli Dircio Chautla
• Mayra Morales Aldaz
• Vanesa González-Rizzo Krasniansky
In support of access to safe and legal abortion, ddeser carried out a series of important strategies and activities in different states of the country in 2023. These included press conferences, forums, and public statements in Puebla, Jalisco, Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca. They also included strategic meetings with local authorities and followup on court rulings. Also noteworthy are efforts to promote quality, safe abortion services and participation with adolescent pregnancy prevention groups.
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Key actions for 2023 include:
Press conference in Puebla to advocate for legal abortion and request legislation from the local congress.
Pro-choice ruling in Puebla, guaranteeing access to abortion services.
Forum on challenges and advances in abortion in Guerrero, to contextualize the regional situation.
Conference in Guerrero on the anniversary of the decriminalization of abortion, demanding governmental action.
Conference in Oaxaca to demand quality abortion services and their dissemination.
Statement in Puebla to urge decriminalization of abortion at the state level.
Meetings with local authorities and the State Group for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy (GEPEA) to address legal abortion and teen pregnancy prevention.
Political dialogue in Oaxaca for the harmonization and application of the legal framework in favor of safe abortion.
Meeting with Ministry of Health and Interior in Oaxaca to follow up on previous legal actions.
Follow-up meeting with members of GEPEA to present institutional results.
Integration of the Municipal Group for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy in Chiapas, strengthening community participation.
The notable participation in different events and activities has manifested the recognition of ddeser. In 2023, stands out the presence in the “First Diversity Information Fair” organized by the National Polytechnic Institute, as well as participating in the “First Sexual and Reproductive Health Fair” organized by the Latin American University Campus Florida. In addition, ddeser contributed significantly to the installation of the “Dignified Menstruation” module in the School of Psychology of the same university. This demonstrates our commitment to promoting health and well-being in the university community. During the year, we also highlighted our support to other collectives in the country like Siempre Vivas and La Red de Acompañantes Laguna.
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2023 Achieved Goals
Through the execution of 17 carefully designed projects, we directed our efforts to four focus areas in 2023 and achieved outstanding results:
Amplifying Voices, Driving Change: Advocating for Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Equidad is committed to promoting and defending sexual and reproductive rights. We believe that all people have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, sexuality and reproductive futures. During 2023, we achieved significant milestones through our projects. We broke the silence and destigmatized the experiences of women and people capable of becoming pregnant who have had abortions. We created spaces for awareness-raising and advocacy by facilitating dialogues with key actors. We provided training and tools to advocate for the full exercise of rights and strengthened collective action in 12 Mexican states. We identified the main demands of women and girls in terms of employment, health and well-being through surveys in different states. Finally, we promoted bodily autonomy by increasing access to sexual and reproductive health services by providing support and accompaniment to those seeking abortion care. Our work has been instrumental in the creation of a more favorable environment for sexual and reproductive rights in Mexico.
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Building a Violence-Free Future for Women and Girls
In our fight to eradicate VAWG, we made significant progress in 2023 to improve the well-being and recovery of girls, adolescents and women survivors of violence by facilitating their access to critical support services. We implemented comprehensive strategies that included:
• Awareness campaigns: We disseminated strong messages and creative strategies to promote a life free of violence, permeating communities and generating a cultural change.
• Training and informative talks: We strengthened the knowledge, tools and skills of teachers, public officials, parents and caregivers to detect, prevent and respond to violence in their environments, strengthening the community to act as a support network.
• Enforcement: We advocate for the effective application of NOM 046 and the NAME Route guaranteeing access to legal abortion in cases of rape and defending the reproductive rights of women and people capable of becoming pregnant.
• Prevention of teenage and child pregnancy: We implemented intervention strategies, participated in inter-institutional spaces and formed community networks and alliances to reduce this problem, providing girls, adolescents and women with the tools to make informed decisions about their future.
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Advancing Feminist Economic Justice
In 2023, we promoted actions aimed at economic justice, with a particular focus on improving the working conditions of women in the garment industry and women in the forestry sector. We also influenced the dynamics of unpaid domestic and care work (so that its social/economic value is recognized, as well as the need to redistribute and reduce it) , making visible the obstacles women face in their participation in the monetized sphere.
From a feminist vision of the Global South, we advocate for actions and policies that benefit women, LGBTIQ+ people and historically excluded groups. The care, economic and environmental crises in Latin America and the Caribbean have led us to redouble our efforts, working with allies to find solutions that address the needs of the most impacted communities.
At the global level, we continue to advocate for a new economic paradigm that prioritizes the well-being of people and the planet. Together with activists from the Global South, we are carefully analyzing the impact of macroeconomic dynamics and seeking just and sustainable solutions.
A major milestone this year was the strengthening of the Sustainable Forestry Development Support Program through the implementation of a gender perspective. This is an important step towards the sustainability of women-led initiatives in forest management and conservation.
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Broadening the reach of feminist messages
In 2023, we developed strategic campaigns to expand the reach and deepen the discourse around rights-based feminist agendas.
Through our communication strategies, we mobilized an increasingly broad social base in support of women’s rights and gender equality. With an artivist approach, we created products that highlighted the potential of art to connect people with information. Through our radio programs, digital campaigns and audio-visual materials, we generated debate and reflection on feminist agendas and intersectionality in society, making feminist agendas a topic of conversation in the public sphere. In addition, through the dissemination of materials, we provided information to children and adolescents, to strengthen their knowledge of their rights. This is essential to creating a world in which they can be agents of change and in which their rights are recognized and protected within their communities.
Through the implementation of our projects in 2023, we had a total of 42,801 beneficiaries. Of these, 31,946 were girls, adolescents and women.
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Take a look at some of the amazing things that we’re doing in our key areas of focus
Developing Knowledge for Transformation
At Equidad, we believe in the power of knowledge as a tool for social change. For this reason, we are pleased to present our new Contribution to Feminism section, a space where you can learn about some of the documents we have developed.
Our feminist and decolonial vision of the economy is the driving force behind our search for solutions to the problems of women and society as a whole. This vision recognizes the interconnectedness of gender relations, human rights, planetary preservation, paid and unpaid labor, and public finance. It also analyzes the inequalities of power between the global North and the global South.
On the basis of this vision, our knowledge products cover topics such as the following:
• Climate and Environmental Justice
• Tax Justice
• Unpaid Domestic and Care Work
• Labor Rights
In order to further strengthen the protection of sexual and reproductive rights, our efforts to build knowledge have also been organized around four key areas:
1. Gender-based violence protocols and care pathways: We develop materials for institutions to ensure comprehensive and timely care for children, adolescents and women.
2. Evaluation and subsequent measures: To identify strengths and areas for improvement, we conducted a diagnosis of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) interventions in five states of the country. With the support of allied organizations and collectives, we prepared a report on Mexico’s progress on the Montevideo Consensus indicators, the main intergovernmental agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean on population and development and the regional expression of the post-2014
Cairo Programme of Action. Focusing on five priority issues, the report analyzes the state of implementation of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice: Abortion, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Gender Based Violence (GBV), Contraception and Family Planning (CPFP), and Youth and Adolescent Friendly Services (YAFS), thereby linking our efforts and advancing a feminist agenda for decision-making that is also based on economic justice.
3. Analysis of public spending on SRH: An analysis of government investment in sexual and reproductive health, with a focus on gaps and opportunities.
4. Advocating and engaging with municipal authorities: For the Municipal Groups for the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy (GUMPEA), we developed an advocacy and policy dialogue plan.
These publications, and others like them, provide a broad overview of our contributions to evidence building, advocacy, and knowledge sharing in 2023. Not only do they showcase our efforts, but they also serve as valuable resources for a variety of stakeholders, contributing to informed decision making and fostering collaboration within different sectors.
Promoting sexual and reproductive justice and addressing violence
One of the most important lessons we have learned is the need to contextualize information on VAWG and sexual and reproductive health. This means understanding the different realities and needs of people in different settings. We recognize that each population has its own characteristics. Therefore, whether we are addressing gender-based violence, sexual violence or comprehensive sexuality education, we adapt our intervention methodology to the specific concerns of girls, adolescents, young people and women.
Our main objective is to promote the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights and prevent various forms of violence against girls, adolescents, and women. We do so by encouraging active community participation in finding solutions and by building awareness and capacity among communities and public authorities.
In 2023, through the development of 482 workshops and 174 health and information fairs, we worked with more than 15,000 girls and adolescents. We have strengthened their knowledge about their bodies and their rights, and provided them with the skills to identify risks and
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situations of violence in both the physical and the digital environment. Thanks to these local efforts, several schools, community centers and a greater number of municipalities are requesting our activities. This consolidates our work in preventing violence and building more solid life projects for girls and adolescents.
Our comprehensive accompaniment strategies have made a significant difference in their lives and in the communities where we work. Providing accompaniment for safe abortion and VAWG care goes beyond individual support; we see it as a fundamental political act to advance women’s rights. This year, we accompanied a total of 1,834 cases and strengthened community networks to ensure that cases are properly addressed by relevant institutions.
An important achievement that has opened doors and strengthened cooperation and inter-institutional work has been the establishment of cooperation agreements, particularly with the Ministry of Public Education, the National System for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, and the Human Rights Commission.
Girls and adolescents were able to identify different forms of violence they experienced, and adolescent boys and men had positive changes in perspectives and attitudes. Particularly in rural contexts with greater indigenous representation, a differentiated impact has been achieved. There has been a noticeable change in social and educational dynamics through openness and cooperation at the community and institutional levels.
What Women Want: Surveys carried out as part of a global campaign.
To advise on policies and programs that respond to what women want and deserve, we asked more than 80,000 women in Mexico about their top demands for employment, health and well-being. This was part of What Women Want, a global campaign to improve women’s and girls’ health and strengthen health systems in India, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Strengthening the capacity of key institutions and individuals
In 2023, Equidad drove change on multiple fronts. We emphasized the importance of building the capacity of key institutions and individuals. Our belief is that social change requires a multifaceted approach that combines capacity building with social mobilization. By working at multiple levels, we can create sustainable change that has a positive impact on women’s lives.
We organized 9 workshops for 115 stakeholders in the forest sector, including 34 CONAFOR managers, 143 forestry technical advisors, 172 women from the Sustainable Forest Development Support Program and 85 men from the local communities. Topics included gender equality, sexual division of labor, the role of domestic work in ecosystem change, and structural gender inequalities in the forest chain. Our goal was to raise awareness of gender equality in forest development, strengthen women’s leadership skills, and encourage them to participate in decision-making at various levels.
We also trained 388 local, subnational, or national government institutions, which increased their capacity to design and implement institutional reforms, strategies, and policies to prevent or respond to VAWG. 650 service providers received organizational support to improve service delivery to survivors of violence or women and girls at risk of violence.
In 2023, we highlight the great diversity of institutions that have participated in the workshops that have been held for the promotion of sexual and reproductive health. There has been considerable cooperation between government agencies, educational institutions, and civil and health organizations. Our projects brought together more than 60 stakeholders, from municipal and state authorities to universities and health centers, showing a shared commitment to gender equality, public health and education.
Key participating institutions and stakeholders included:
Government Entities:
• Municipal Presidencies
• Health Secretariats
• Welfare Secretariats
• Substantive Equality Secretariats
• Public Security Secretariats
Educational Institutions:
• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools
• High Schools
• Colleges and Universities
Public Institutions:
• Community Health Centers
• National System for the Integral Development of the Family.
• Mexican Institute of Social Security
• Judicial system
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This broad participation is a reflection of the common commitment of educational and public institutions, civil society organizations and local government bodies to the advancement of sexual and reproductive rights.
Weaving Networks for Transformation
A fundamental pillar for the advancement of feminist movements is strategic alliances. Weaving collaborative networks between collectives, organizations and social movements allowed us to make the most of our resources, experience and influence. The result was a year of extraordinary accomplishments.
Global
Equidad has partnered with many activists and movements around the world to promote economic, environmental and social justice.
Feminist activists in the Global South are faced with significant challenges such as isolation, lack of financial resources and an overload of work that limits their presence and their voice on the global stage. Responding to this reality, Equidad held the First Learning and Strategy Lab in Bangkok with 13 activists from Africa (Egypt, South Africa), Asia (Philippines, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Pakistan) and Latin America (Mexico, Uruguay and Argentina). This space was designed to facilitate a meeting of Southern feminist activists to reflect together on contemporary feminist agendas, with a view to redefining and radicalizing global advocacy work and linkages with Northern actors, and to address challenges to Southern feminist leadership and presence in global arenas. As a result of this space, the South Feminist Solidarity Alliance was born, which has promoted a campaign of denunciation of the genocide against the Palestinian people and work on a comprehensive agenda of reparations and economic justice, with divestment from extractive economic dynamics at the center.
We highlight that our organization joined the Global Alliance for Care in July by direct invitation in recognition of our past efforts. This integration is becoming one of our most important alliances, in which we have been participating in activities such as community analysis and webinars, and where we see the potential for advocacy work to make the care agenda feminist. One of the first outcomes of this alliance is that our recent artivist productions and research are hosted in the alliance’s web repository, allowing them a wider reach.
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Equidad de Género
Board de Tax Justice Network
South Feminist Futures
Alianza Global por los Cuidados
South Feminist Solidarity Steering Committee de la Coalición #EndAusterity
Iniciativa Feminista para una Vacuna Popular (Feminists for a People’s Vaccine)
South Feminist Fiscal Justice Working Group
Nexo de Acción Feminista sobre el Clima y la Justicia Económica
Regional
Equidad was the representative of the Care Network in Mexico in the now established bi-regional network Trenzando Cuidados, a network of civil society networks, feminists from 7 countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Peru) and a regional network (CLACSO) formed by academics.
National
Together with the Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE), Catholics for the Right to Decide (CDD), and the Simone de Beauvoir Institute (ILSB), we participated as organizers in the Encuentro Nacional por el Aborto Legal y Seguro en México (National Meeting on Legal and Safe Abortion in Mexico). We brought together women, trans, non-binary, indigenous, Afro-Mexican, activists, abortion care providers, and women with disabilities, all feminists, from different organizations, collectives, and networks from 28 states of the country. The purpose of this meeting was clear and urgent: to strengthen a shared vision on the current situation of abortion in Mexico and to facilitate a space for analysis, reflection and collective construction of a future agenda for decriminalization and safe access to abortion in our country.
We participated in the National Meeting on The Future of Care in Mexico. This was an important space for promoting local and municipal experiences in promoting care policies. Following our participation in this event, the authorities of the National System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF) of San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, personally asked Equidad to provide training and advice for their Cuidemos project.
We participated in various activities organized by the Social Council of the National Women’s Institute (INMUJERES): in March, the forum on sexual harassment and bullying in public universities; in May, the forum on good practices in access to justice for women in the city of Puebla.
We are deeply grateful to all the networks, groups, and coalitions that joined us in 2023. Their commitment and collaborative work have been essential to achieving our goals.
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Advocacy Activities
In 2023, various activities and meetings were held to promote comprehensive sexuality education and VAWG prevention. These included the creation of Municipal Working Groups for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy (GUMPEA) as well as presenting projects and activities to various government agencies and civil society organizations to obtain support and coordination in the implementation of programs and services related to sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention and access to safe abortion. This included conducting evaluations and monitoring activities to improve the implementation of sexual and reproductive rights policies and programs, as well as comprehensive responses to cases of violence.
Throughout the year, a total of 12 sexual and reproductive health forums were organized in both face-to-face and virtual formats, covering a wide range of relevant topics. These events brought together health care professionals, activists and members of the community. Topics included comprehensive sexuality education, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive rights for survivors of sexual violence, medical abortion, sexual health legislation, progress and challenges in legal abortion, and the social stigma associated with abortion access for indigenous and rural women. In addition, sessions were dedicated to the recognition of outstanding women on International Women’s Day and to the fundamental right to make decisions about one’s own body. These forums have been a valuable opportunity to promote dialogue and to raise public awareness on these important issues.
We also participated in the “Learning and Advocacy Exchange Tour” in Europe to position the advances and achievements of civil and feminist society in Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of care policies and the role that the care roundtables/networks/coalitions have played in them. The aim was to influence the terms of the current debate in Europe (State Care System in the Spanish State, European Care Strategy, Feminist Foreign Policy and Bi-regional Care Pact).
We collaborated in the preparation of an amicus curiae submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Its purpose was to provide elements for the analysis of the content and scope of the right to care. This document was a collective effort. 8 Mexican civil society organizations and 1 Argentinean organization participated. This group’s input focused on contributing to the discussion of States’ obligations to ensure sufficient budgetary resources to guarantee this right.
In addition, the II Forum for Economic Justice for Women Workers in the Garment Industry was held at the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, with the participation of nearly 100 people, most of them in person. It brought together public officials from Puebla and Tlaxcala, university authorities, local organizations, teachers, students and workers in the industry. The Forum was a space to socialize the research carried out by Equidad and a multi-stakeholder dialogue to add voices, reflect and act in favor of economic justice for women workers.
The development of these strategic forums goes beyond mere participation; it also involves immersion in an environment that is conducive to critical discourse, the sharing of knowledge, and the expansion of networks.
Throughout 2023, we also participated in forums that served as central platforms for laying the groundwork for feminist advocacy, facilitating collective organizing, mobilizing, and amplifying voices.
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• Third Global Meeting on Care Work where we presented the article entitled “Global co-responsibility and systemic understanding of care work: a feminist and decolonial review”, and co-organized the Panel “ Dissident views for a common agenda of care work”.
• National Congress of Feminist Economics in Barcelona with the organization of the “Feminist Learning Laboratory on Community Care”.
• International Conference on Feminist Economics in the panel “Towards Rights-Based Economies: a feminist and decolonial approach”.
• National Meeting: The Future of Care in Mexico.
• Meeting for a Feminist Tax Policy.
• Forum for the Cultural Transformation of Care on the Public Agenda.
• 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5).
• ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development.
• Action Coalition for Justice and Economic Rights (EJR) Leadership Meeting.
• Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the 6th Climate Change Conference (SB 56).
• UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
• Women Deliver Conference.
• 28th UN Climate Change Conference.
• Southern Dialogues for Economic Justice.
• Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• National Meeting for Safe and Legal Abortion in Mexico.
• Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• XV Meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Feminists in El Salvador.
• United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 67).
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Feminist Strategic Communication
Communications Campaigns
In an effort to mobilize the many structural demands that make up a global justice agenda into a single initiative, Equidad is coordinating the Campaign of the Campaign (CofC). Through “The Rise Up” series and “Let’s Talk Economic Justice with the Despise Girls” sessions, the CofC also provides a platform for feminist activists in the Global South from a radical feminist perspective. In 2023, eight shows will be broadcast live with various activist guests and from the stage of international meetings like the LDC5, Bonn Climate Change and COP28. This is a digital space for activists in which current debates on the global justice agenda will be discussed.
We are proud to participate in the “Time Is Up, The Future Is Now” movement to raise awareness and action on the climate crisis. Through digital and in-person spaces, the campaign raises voices from Latin America to demand that decision-makers in the Global North and major oil companies take responsibility and respond immediately and urgently to the climate crisis.
As part of the National Strategy for Civic Culture 2017-2023, the National Electoral Institute (INE) and Equidad invited young people to participate in the 2nd edition of the National Contest “Weaving Citizen Networks: Diverse Youths”, which aims to promote the reflection, generation of proposals and participation in the public debate of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 in the exercise of political and electoral rights in Mexico, with a gender perspective and intersectional approach.
We worked on the dissemination of campaigns such as “I demand respect” and “I decide” for the prevention and awareness of sexual violence against children and adolescents, using materials provided by the Chiapas Secretariat for Gender Equality (SEIGEN). We designed and disseminated publications in social networks from a gendered, intersectional, intercultural and decolonial perspective, translating them into Tseltal, Tsotsil and Tojolabal.
To raise community awareness of the importance of preventing sexual violence and supporting survivors, four radio spots and a video were
produced. The video, “Girls and Adolescents Free from Violence,” focused on providing tools for recognizing sexual violence and how to seek institutional support.
The radio spots addressed issues such as child pregnancy, intimate partner violence, sexually transmitted infections, and the importance of access to health and justice services.
In addition, five blog posts were produced with tools for the prevention of sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and adolescents, as well as stories of girls and adolescents defending their rights in different States.
1. “Girls and adolescents without violence”, an impact project. Erika Yamada, Equidad
2. Tools to prevent sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and adolescents. Gabriela García y Norma Fuentes, Equidad
3. Girls and adolescents from Edomex in the defense of their rights. Esperanza Arias, ddeser Edomex
4. Accompanying us. Jessica Pérez, ddeser Puebla
5. Empowerment to prevent violence in girls and adolescents in Tlaxcala. Rosario Texis, ddeser Tlaxcala
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In 2023, during the 6th anniversary of FOCOS, a virtual campaign was launched to celebrate and recognize the importance of the platform as a safe space for women to make visible their stories and experiences of abortion. During this time, 77 women lit a bulb, bringing the total number of bulbs lit to 6,916, and 7 more shared their abortion-related stories.
The English version of the cabaret play “Drowning in debt” by the Reinas Chulas, with commentary by Jason Braganza (AFRODAD), Iolanda Fresnillo (Eurodad) and Patricia Miranda (Latindad), was launched globally. This material has surpassed its original regional scope, serving the international community’s desire to address the debt issue comprehensively.
Communication Strategies
The newsletter “From the South for Economic Justice” continues to be a fundamental tool for the exchange of information and analysis on the challenges and alternatives for the construction of a more just and egalitarian economy. Throughout 2023, we continued to report on economic justice, focusing on Latin America and the Global South, to more than 200 subscribers.
By designing and implementing a comprehensive communication strategy that combined virtual and radio actions, we effectively socialized the dynamics of exploitation in the garment industry and positioned the research recommendations to build a multi-stakeholder working path. To achieve this, we produced 7 radio programs, organically disseminated the research conducted, and hosted the four documents produced on our website (in the Contributing to Feminism section).
We also held the virtual launch of the fanzine “Hilando la justicia” (Spinning Justice), aimed at women workers in the garment industry, with the participation of Patricia Carmona, Program Manager of the AVINA Foundation, Betty Ávalos, Coordinator of the Rosa Luxemburg Collective, and Marisela Ochoa, Organizational Promoter of the Rosa Luxemburg Collective.
We premiered the episode “The Menace of the Golden West” . This new episode is part of the Rise Up series that denounces the myth of economic growth and how its foundation has led us to a point of no return, compromising the integrity of ecosystems and affecting the lives and human rights of people, especially women, through the sexual division of labor. The purpose of this material is to raise awareness of the problem and a call to action in order to position the demands of global justice.
Additionally, as part of the organizations comprising the Alianza por el Derecho a Decidir (Andar) alongside the Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida (GIRE), Ipas México, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD), and Population Council, Equidad de Género has developed the video “La marea verde crece”. This video chronicles the significant challenges and achievements over 20 years of collaborative work, from the decriminalization of abortion in Mexico City in 2007 to the ongoing efforts led by young women in various states across the country. These young women continue to fight for abortion to be legal, safe, and free, making it a right and a reality for all.
Growth in social networks in 2023, 15972 followers.
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Since September 2008, Equidad has partnered with the Mexican Radio Institute (IMER) to produce and broadcast weekly radio shows. At the moment, our content is being rebroadcast on the Soundcloud and Spotify platforms, as well as on 37 community and indigenous radio stations.
The programs covered a wide range of issues, including domestic and unpaid care work, the promotion and defense of sexual and reproductive rights, community work, access to legal and safe abortion, women’s participation in various industries, gender politics, mobility and the arts, and the situation of indigenous women and the defense of their rights. Issues related to the economy, the fight against fundamentalism and discrimination were also discussed from a feminist perspective. The programs also highlighted the importance of feminist taxation and environmental protection, among other issues relevant to gender equality and social justice.
Awards received by Equidad and ddeser for outstanding contributions
Soundcloud
Espacio Abierto Equidad
Equidad Radio
Spotify
Espacio Abierto Equidad
Equidad Radio
In 2023, Sofía Robles Hernández, Rosalinda Ponce Ojeda and Roselia Verdugo, members of ddeser, received the “Martha Sánchez Nestor” National Prize for the Promotion of Indigenous Women’s Rights, awarded by INPI and INMUJERES. They were honored for their careers and for their work in defending the role of indigenous women in different spaces and for their invaluable work in the community.
Erika Yamada, Projects and Institutional Development Coordinator of Equidad, was selected as a member of the Latin American and Caribbean Planning Committee and the Women Deliver Violence Prevention and Attention Committee. Along with Patricia Lopez, Sexual and Reproductive Rights Coordinator, they were selected as members of the Feminist Advisory Board for the Population Council’s “Participatory Action Research Assessment of the Organizational Landscape and Impact of Young Feminists in Mexico and Kenya” project.
María Eugenia Romero, Director of Equidad, was recognized for her outstanding participation in the Mexican delegation to the “10th Anniversary of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development” Special Session in 2023. She was also recognized for the role she has played in representing Mexico at the Ministry of the Interior and the National Population Council (CONAPO).
Lisseth Vázquez Pérez was awarded the Municipal Youth Prize specifically in the category of Social Commitment, in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. This award highlights her work and commitment in the social sector, demonstrating her dedication and significant contribution to the community.
The Global Coalition “Global Call for the Universal Recognition of the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment by 2020”, in which Equidad actively participates, has been awarded the UN Human Rights Award 2023. This prestigious award, based on a resolution of the UN General Assembly and given only every 5 years, recognizes the tireless efforts of the Coalition and its members, such as Equidad, in promoting and defending a healthy and sustainable environment worldwide.
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Radio
Organizational Structure
Equidad’s team is made up primarily of women from all over Mexico with diverse backgrounds (including socio-economic levels), levels of education, and areas of expertise. Our Board of Directors consists of renowned feminist activists and advocates who have first-hand knowledge and experience of the issues on which the organization focuses.
Board of Directors
Arturo García
Arturo García is an Industrial Engineer, graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at UNAM. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Science at the Institute of Science and Technology at the University of Manchester, England. He is a member of the Strategic Planning Leadership Forum, Product Development and Management Association, and Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals.
Eleanor Blomstrom
Eleanor Blomstrom is a senior leader and expert in international policy with over 10 years of experience advocating for gender equality, women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, sustainable development, and climate justice in United Nations forums. She has collaborated with the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) and Women Deliver.
Emily Barcklow
Emily Barcklow holds a Bachelor’s degree in Literature from Evergreen State College in Washington, USA, and is pursuing a Master’s in Social Medicine at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco. She was the Program Director at the Seattle International Foundation, where she launched and led the grant-making for the Central America and Mexico Youth Fund, developing capacities and strategic relationships with youth-led sexual and reproductive health organizations. She currently works at Fos Feminista, implementing projects and programs focused on safe abortion care.
Lisseth Vázquez
Lisseth Vázquez is a Law student at the Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas. A young feminist, she has experience working on gender issues, sexual and reproductive rights, sexuality, and youth. She has been involved in the operation and management of projects on adolescent prevention and comprehensive disaster risk management in communities in Oaxaca and Chiapas, funded by Inmujeres through the Proequidad program.
Pilar Muriedas
Pilar Muriedas is a Social Anthropologist with a Diploma in Cultural Policies and Management. She has been an activist in the feminist movement for 35 years, advocating for sexual and reproductive rights. She participated in the founding of Consorcio Oaxaca and Salud Integral para la Mujer (SIPAM). She is currently an Advisory Council member of the Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network (RSMLAC) and a social entrepreneur with Ashoka.
Raúl Arroyo
Raúl Arroyo holds a Law degree from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH), with studies in Constitutional Law and Politics at the Institute of Studies for Latin America and Portugal at the University of Salamanca, Spain. He has authored several books on legal, political, and biographical topics. Since September 2020, he has written the column “Desde lo regional” for La Jornada Hidalgo. He is currently a Justice at the Superior Court of Justice.
Tajëëw Díaz
Tajëëw Díaz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration and a Master’s in Social Anthropology. She is part of the Mixe Collective (Colmix) and coordinates the Endless Oaxaca Multilingual Project for the Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca Foundation, A.C. She is also a field researcher for the project “Social Oversight and Citizen Participation in Indigenous Regions” with Ciesas Pacífico Sur.
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Equidad’s team
General Management
• Maru Romero
• Guadalupe Gónzalez
• Daptnhe Cuevas
Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Response to Violence
• Adriana Patlán
• Patricia López
Policies and Budgets for Equality and Sustainable Development
• Emilia Reyes
• Alma Colin
• Denisse Vélez
• Isabela Boada
Institutional Development
• Erika Yamada
• Samantha Silva
• Tania Huerta
Strategic Communication
• Cynthia Arteaga
• Gabriela Cabello
• Silvia Solís
Knowledge Management
• Gabriela García
• Norma Fuentes
• Armando Franco
Administration
• Marcela García
• Claris Flores
• Olivia Sánchez
• Joanna Hernández
• Juan Carlos Belmont
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Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Response to Violence Knowledge Management
Financial Summary
Policies and Budgets for Equality and Sustainable Development Corporate Relations
42.22% 13.60% 15.00% 26.04% 3.14%
Strategic
Communication
Donors
Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia
@equidadmx
@equidadmx
@EquidaddeGéneroMx
@equidadgeneromx
@equidadgeneromx
www.equidad.org.mx
equidad@equidad.org.mx
+ (52 - 55) 5658-7114
Red por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos en México (ddeser)
@ddeserMx
@ddeser_
@ddesermx
contacto@ddeser.org
Graphic and Editorial Design: Luna Serafín
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Contact