In the native communities of different parts of the world the defense of life is carried out daily. This enormous task has been relegated and delegated to women of all ages, ideologies, socioeconomic sectors, etc. In Oaxaca we have innumerable examples of this; midwifery, the defense of the environment, territory and natural resources, the protection of the symbols that provide cultural identity (gastronomy, handicrafts, clothing, music, etc.), the transmission of native languages, the care of other people – who are not necessarily their children -, the organization of festivals.
For these reasons, it is urgent to recognize the everyday women who live in different spaces, to know their experience regarding the exercise of their rights, their demand to live a life free of violence and in favor of a greater participation of women in social and community life.
AUDIO 1
We, the Gobixha Committee for the Integral Defense of Human Rights (CODIGO DH), accompanies female human rights defenders who have taken spaces where historically only men participated. For example, in San Dionisio del Mar, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the defense of the territory is a constant struggle for women who recognize their participation in the political context from the assemblies every day.
AUDIO 2
In the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, from Salina Cruz, Unión Hidalgo, Juchitán de Zaragoza, and other communities, the context of violence and megaprojects have had an impact on Zapotec women who are currently struggling to rebuild the social fabric, preserve their identity, culture and the environment that surrounds them.
AUDIO 3
For all of them, LAS MUJERES QUE DEFIENDEN (the women who defend), MUJERES DE LUCHA (women of resistance), this March 8th we recognize their important work in defense of life in community.