Glitter Revolution: Why Mexican Women Have Occupied Govt Building?
On the day Mexicans were to mark their Independence Day celebrations, on 15 September, a different kind of ‘revolution’ was unfolding at the country’s human rights commission headquarters.
Just a week earlier, masked women protesters stormed the iconic building and occupied it – as a mark of protest over the rising crime and violence against women.
Today, think twice before you post a picture celebrating Mexico. There are brave women on the streets calling for the femicide state to burn. The least we can do is show solidarity. Hoy no hay grito, no hay celebración. ¡Que vivan las mujeres del CNDH! #ANTIGRITO #NIUNAMENOS pic.twitter.com/TWRFIKiF8m
— dolores (@m3ns0003) September 16, 2020
This building, they told The Guardian, will be used as a shelter home for victims of gender violence until Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Amlo) takes decisive action.
At least 3,825 women were victims of rape, murder, forced disappearance, domestic violence in the country, in 2019 alone.
long live the women in mexico who are making history and will continue to do so
pic.twitter.com/T2Zzb4gDH7— diana ᶻ³ (@zaynabfalls) September 16, 2020
Also Read: COVID-19: Corona Beer Stops Production in Mexico, Twitter Reacts
THE MEXICAN GLITTER REVOLUTION
The occupation of the building in the middle of a pandemic is the extension of what is called the ‘Glitter Revolution.’
Feminists outside the Human Rights Commission Office in Mexico City which they have occupied since last week, demanding justice for the soaring femicides and violence against women in #Mexico. pic.twitter.com/lBwRXQVFHC
— åsa welander (@aosita) September 11, 2020
It all started in August 2019, when protesters set fire to a police station and bus terminal, in Mexico City, after news of rapes committed by police officers broke out.
It was dubbed ‘Glitter Revolution’ after protesters doused Mexico City’s security minister with pink glitter, at one such protest. For months, these women staged occupations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
this hurts so bad to watch the fact that young young girls and women are getting k!lled while going home. This is what’s happening in mexico rn pls don’t ignore :( pic.twitter.com/q6nCtvjg9a
— #min! ✰⁷ (@urhobiee) September 16, 2020
WHY HAVE THE PROTESTS SPIKED NOW
Gender violence has only gotten worse in 2020, thanks to the coronavirus-induced lockdowns.
The country’s President Amlo, meanwhile, has been accused of “downplaying” the problem and cutting down the budgets of government departments that work for the welfare of women.
There’s a revolution currently going on in Mexico!! Women are being murdered, raped, abused in the hands of abusive men on the daily. The gov keeps looking the other way, justice is not being made, these homicides are only going up. LET IT BE KNOWN THEIR NEEEDS TO BE JUSTICE! pic.twitter.com/457anfFnXm
— Brenin Jerry (@breninjerry) September 18, 2020
According to data released in July, femicide in the country climbed 7.7 percent for the first half of 2020 alone, as compared to the same period last year. As seen globally, Mexico also saw a sharp increase in the number of domestic violence cases.
The National Network of Shelters in the country claimed that it received 80 percent more calls since the start of pandemic. However, Amlo claimed that 90 percent of such calls were “false” and approved a 75 percent budget cut for federal women’s institute. He even proposed to withdraw funding provided to women’s shelter, run by NGOs.
Also Read: Old Video of Deadly 2017 Earthquake in Mexico Shared As Recent
(With inputs from The Guardian)
. Read more on Gender by The Quint.How to Register Under Special Marriage Act? What’s the Row in SC? NATA 2020 Second Test Results to be Declared on 18 September . Read more on Gender by The Quint.
