CSW57, March 8, Day 5

INDIGENOUS WOMEN BUILDING THEIR AUTONOMY FOR THE ERADICATION OF VIOLENCE AND A LIFE WITH DIGNITY

This event was held at the UNICEF building and sponsor by the UN Women Development Program.

A profound message was given by these indigenous women from around the world. The event started with a ceremony that remarked the International Women’s Day. Victoria Tauli Corpuz from the Philippines, Anne Lasimbang from Malaysia, Rosalina Tuyuc from Guatemala, Malaouise Mooka from Australia, Solany Zapata Guasarabe from Colombia, Agnes Leina from Kenya and representative from the UN Women were on the panel.

Victoria Tauli begin the panel by saying that indigenous women have suffered violence since the time of colonization 500 years ago. Indigenous girls are more vulnerable to human trafficking in order to be exploited in prostitution or as domestic maids. She also mentioned that climate change will force girls to get married younger or sooner as their fathers of these girls hope to receive financial compensation from the family of the in-laws when calamities like draughts occur.

Anne Lasimbang shared about the situation of violence in the area of Malaysia where indigenous people see themselves as part of the ecosystems. Violence against these women increased when the indigenous people lost rights over their territories and land resources, thereby losing knowledge in herbal and farming. This amounted to them losing their identity. That loss generated social problems such as alcoholism and drugs. To tackle these issues, they are developing strategies by organizing leadership trainings in community centers as well as networking among other grassroots organizations.

Rosalina Tuyuc gave a powerful speech “Viva las Mujeres” by which she encouraged indigenous women to stand up for their rights in order to create a new way of living and behaving. Malaouise Mooka talked about how aboriginal people from northern Australia formed mens groups to counteract many forms of violence in their communities. Solany Zapata spoke about genital mutilation in Colombia and how united girls, women, organizations, and the government worked together to create a law to try and penalize and perpetrators of these crimes. They are also working to have these atrocities banned from Colombia and the Americas.

And finally Agnes Leina shared the efforts that she made in her community to empower little girls by changing the way they think and educating them, to avoid the suffering of genital mutilation.