Kick off Spotlight Initiative's educational public campaign in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR, EL Salvador - The Spotlight Initiative launched an educational public campaign in El Salvador to raise awareness on violence against women and girls on 12 September 2019 in San Salavador. The launch event was the opportunity for the Spotlight Initiative and its partners to unveil a memorial dedicated to the victims of gender-based violence. The partners provided women and girls in the audience with information on the existing support services for survivors.

In order to highlight the need to end violence against women and girls and particularly feminicides, the Spotlight Initiative in El Salvador developed the first educational public campaign called “Reconstruction of the projection of life of women and girls” in Plaza Gerardo Barrios in the historic center of San Salvador.

During the inauguration, the UN Resident Coordinator Hugo González expressed his concern about violence against women and girls and feminicides in the country. He also urged men to end the cultural patterns that reproduce and perpetuate this violence and to adopt new ones that promote mutual respect and the right for all to live a life free of violence.

As part of the public action, women and girls received legal advices and information on the support services for survivors. The event was also an opportunity for the Spotlight Initiative and its partners to announce the opening of a pilot Home Shelter for women and girls who are undergoing violence. 

The activity was organized by the Institute for Women's Studies "Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera" (CEMUJER), in partnership with the Committee of Latin America and the Caribbean for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM). CEMUJER and CLADEM are implementing partners of the Spotlight Initiative in El Salvador.

By Iris Peña,

Orginal article Iniciativa Spotlight El Salvador RCO