2 min read

‘Somos voz’-‘We are voice’: A Journey from Violence to Healing #IWD2024

Colombian women putting their hands up and standing together

Today, on International Women’s Day, we share the story of the incredible empowerment event that brought together 24 women in Bogotá this February to discuss strategies for advocacy and unity against gender-based violence (GBV). This event marks the beginning of a campaign that will result in a series of short documentaries that will be a powerful resource throughout the year and especially in November and December for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

24 Women, 24 Stories of Empowerment

Recognising the power of personal stories in confronting violence, HealthNet TPO Colombia, GOAL and Buen Ayre Visual organised a forum for sharing personal narratives, emotions and strategies that brought together 24 women, such as feminists, activists, dancers, journalists and influencers, coming from all over Colombia.

The event sought to showcase the lessons learned and the strategies employed by women in addressing such situations, as well as to highlight tools for action for other women, and kicked off the creation of an audiovisual campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) in Colombia.

“Women, like the waters, when they gather, they grow.”

-Fabrina Acosta Contreras (translated from Spanish)

Fabrina Acosta Contreras, Colombian writer and activist, joined the event and shared her personal experience through a compelling testimony. Her account offered a detailed glimpse into the special atmosphere of an event where everything was designed to “gift us joy”.

According to Fabrina, stepping into the Arlequín theatre on a rainy day in Bogotá was not just an ordinary experience—it was sacred. The enchanting and healing ambiance, created by the meticulously arranged and magic scenography, had the power to “ignite the suns” within each of them.

Colombian women standing in a circle during the programme Participants of the Somos Voz event at the Arlequín theatre in Bogotá.

A blend of “freedom, love, sisterhood, amazement, tears and  smiles” enabled this diverse group of women and their experiences to unite in intense and emotional narratives, that sparked dialogues concerning the various contexts of GBV.

The atmosphere and the shared desire of each woman to open up created a safe space that, in Fabrina’s words, “revolutionised us holistically.” She described the event as a powerful workshop that not only encouraged self-expression but also facilitated experiential learning, which, as she put it, “directly shakes the spirits.”

Read Fabrina’s full testimony here (in Spanish)→

“We are voices, let no one forget it.”

-Fabrina Acosta Contreras (translated from Spanish)

Colombian women standing together, on stage and theater technician sitting This unique gathering unfolded as a live documentation of the diverse experiences and impassioned advocacy of women’s rights in Colombia.
Get Ready for 16 Empowering Documentaries Against GBV

The emotional narratives and dialogues ignited by the ‘Our Voice’ event unveiled sensitive themes, offering invaluable insights for crafting 16 short docu-films. These films will serve as the foundation of an audio-visual campaign aimed at disseminating 16 powerful messages and psychosocial tools, fostering violence prevention efforts in diverse territories and advocating for the creation of safe spaces for girls and women.

The outcome of this event will be consolidated into an audio-visual and pedagogical campaign starting on International Women’s Day on March 8th, and that will have further dissemination planned for November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and during the 16 days of activism against GBV in 2024.

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