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UTC: Voices of Grassroots Women in fight against elevated risks of COVID19

UTC: Voices of Grassroots Women in fight against elevated risks of COVID19

In May, 2020 the Huairou Commission and FEMUM-ALC joined forces with the World Urban Campaign and the UN Habitat to organize a virtual Urban Thinkers Campus. The convening provided space for partners from the World Urban Campaign and the Mexico government to participate in a dialogue with the grassroots women leaders on the issues of women’s safety, violence, and the right to safe and affordable housing in the context of COVID19. 

Olenka Ochoa, the lead organizer from FEMUM-ALC, highlighted that the event was in line with the effort to open spaces for the Spanish-speaking community and the voices of grassroots women in the Latin and American Region to influence conversations on the issue drawing from lived experience. Haydee Rodríguez, leader of the Cooperativa Las Brumas, Nicaragua, shared that her community experienced double threat to safety – one due to COVID19 and one due to the armed gangs roaming the towns, robbing and pausing danger to women and girls’ safety.

Relinda Sosa, leader of the GROOTS-Peru network, drew attention to complex and interconnected risks experienced by women due to the COVID19 quarantine measures, including loss of income and food insecurity. However, grassroots women have organized virtually to provide each other with support and to remain alert to emergencies related to the COVID19, to strengthen their advocacy with local authorities, including coordination with authorities to deliver aid. While Ingrid Ciego, leader of the Laru-Beya organization, emphasized the negative economic impact experienced by communities whose livelihoods relied on tourism, she also shared how community members are coming together to coordinate aid delivery.

Vanessa Villegas from the Parque-Esperanza community (CISCA-Argentina), shared her experience in fighting evictions during the pandemic. Currently, many residents of her community have to spend quarantine without income and in turn without access to basic services, such as water or electricity. The  grassroots women continue their efforts against evictions and defend the right to housing.

Nadine Gasman Sylverman, director of the Mexico National Institute of Women’s Affairs, detailed the work of the Federal Government before COVID19, including the launch of the awareness campaigns on co-responsibility and care. In the Government’s Emergency Decree in response to COVID19,  shelters and services against violence, including judiciary, were to continue to operate, alongside social programs for individuals and families in vulnerable situations.

In terms of longer term solutions, Sara Valadez, leader of the UTC-Mexico (MIRA-Mexico) presented “Anticrisis Policy” against COVID19, which proposes strategic allocation of public resources to resolve the elevated domestic labor faced by women in the context of working from home. The plan also proposes “basic income” provision that would help 73% of families at poverty risk.

The women closed the discussion with a positive note of resilience and inspiration to one another. Maitre Rodriguez, from FUNGUA, Guatemala, in her closing remarks highlighted how women were assuming leadership roles in the context of COVID19, ensuring the survival of families, the recovery of communities, while facing elevated insecurities.

The #CampusLatino was sponsored by the Huairou Commission and the WUC / UNHabitat, while the organization was led by the FEMUM-ALC network.

The forthcoming Urban Thinkers Campuses organized by Huairou leaders are: