One Day Without Us

#OneDayWithoutUs is the call made up by the women in Mexico this 9th of March. Following the international day of women, women in Mexico were invited to stop their regular duties for protesting against gender violence, which is seen in the 10 femicides seen every day. This proposal was originated by a feminist group from Veracruz called “ Brujas del Mar”. Under the slogan of “ Not a woman in the streets, not a woman at work, not a girl at school, not a young woman in universities, not a woman buying”, they convened to a national strike. This event is not only for women to show how important they’re to society but also for men to sympathize. For supporting women in this historical day, men are invited to wear purple clothes, to take care of their children and the house chores and to cover up for women who decide to stop working that day.

Now that it is a fact, we can see how Mexico looks without women in the street. For example, the exclusive wagons for women in public transports are almost completely empty. Also, in the usual morning conference of president Andres Manuel Lopez, their presence was missing; only 6 journalists showed up when usually there are at least 12. During the rest of the day, following indications from the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education, many schools stopped their usual journeys. Even though not every woman was able to stop her duties, such as cleaning employees or street vendors, they supported the strike by using a purple handkerchief.

Throughout history, women have gained their place in society by fighting for their rights. Thanks to millions of women who gave their lives for this cause, now girls like us are able to go to school, play sports and dream of a future. This 9th of March women in Mexico made history. They weren’t satisfied with how things were working, so as the women who preceded us, they fought for change. This is a testimony on how women won’t stop. This is a testimony on how strong we are.

By: Valeria Botero Callejas 10A