COMMUNITY RADIOBROADCASTERS OF THE WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF AMARC JOIN THE 16 DAYS OF ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Statement

"Community radios are in solidarity and denounce all forms of sexual and gender violence, from domestic violence to armed conflict.

We call upon States and Governments to recognise the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, Resolution 1325 Security Council United Nations on Women, Peace and Security. "

Declaration of La Plata, Argentina AMARC 10

It's been 11 years since the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This manifest member states willingness to take actions in the legal field and public policies to stop gender violence. This resolution was preceded by the continuous activism of the women and feminist movements who engaged since 1981 in worldwide campaigns denouncing gender violence and promoting women's rights on November 25.

29 years of bringing a secret kept for centuries in the private sphere to the public, seems a very short time. "Secret" that occurs in the private field for millennia. Historically it is too short. Symbolically, it is a colossal change.

Today, gender based violence against women is subject to laws and public policies in most countries, however, the implementation in figures still are still lacking

Gender violence today is mostly experienced in situations of extreme vulnerability such as thousands of women who are victims of human trafficking, organized crime and the sex industry. Migrant women who’s human rights are violated.

The intersection of lack of housing and gender violence and child abuse, workplace stress and violence, over-consumption and violence, is a proof that we face a very complex phenomenon, that cuts across all social sectors.

The systematic violence (experienced by women victims of rape, forced disappearances, kidnappings, torture and murder) is a historical and structural problem, such as trauma caused by violence in the communities, particularly during armed conflict, as was the case of Guatemala and the risks women face today in Honduras and Haiti.

Gender violence is a matter of freedom and power.

By denouncing and campaigning, the women's movement has made a huge effort to bring gender based violence to public attention. Because of the complexity of gender based violence we experience internal stress caused that structural violence is part of the system we belong to.

We urgently need to up-date our understanding and messages about gender based violence to contribute to its reduction and eradication. Community radio stations deserve a central place. in symbolizing violence as contemporary experience? What language to use? What images? How to report about violence without portraying women as mere victims? To give anew meaning to the stories and testimonies about the experience of violence.

From the Women's International Network of AMARC, we call upon community radio and TV community, multimedia sites, people's newspapers, news agencies, independent producers, etc. to mobilize their creative forces from 25 November to December 10, 2010 to revive their commitments and encourage to produce gender-sensitive content.

We also call on states and governments of every country guaranty the right to communication of women and to participate actively in the current communication debates (TV and digital radio), concentration of ownership, media laws, among others.