MANIFESTO of ESCUELA FEMINISTA ESTATAL FEUP (FEUP’s Feminist State School)
MANIFESTO of ESCUELA FEMINISTA ESTATAL FEUP (FEUP’s Feminist State School) EFE FEUP
FEDERACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE UNIVERSIDADES POPULARES (Spanish Federation of Popular Universities) AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMPLICITY WITH female slavery, nor with ANY TYPE of violence against women.
DIGNITY, a sovereign right.
Popular Universities (Universidades Populares) are schools specialized in equality. They were born to defend human dignity, and they must enhance freedom and increase the desire of a freer future. They are born with the aim of changing society and achieving freedom for all people, women and men. After all, freedom is vital to live in dignity (Congress on Dignity, FEUP).
Since its creation in 1983, from the Spanish Federation of Popular Universities (known in Spanish as “FEUP”), and, hence, from Popular Universities comprising it, we have always shown a strong commitment to gender equality.
From Popular Universities located in more than 12 Autonomous Communities of Spain, we have always provide citizens, without any kind of exclusion, lifelong learning opportunities through educational and social programmes, as guarantee of the right to learn. More than 250,000 women participate annually in activities of FEUP’s network.
In this respect, today, 25th November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we want to make a call to society and express our complete rejection of violence in all its forms – physical, sexual, psychological. And specially, we want to express our ABSOLUTE REJECTION of violence leading to the death of thousands of women and girls worldwide, thus violating Human Rights.
Today, we want to express our profound abhorrence at those inhuman and unspeakable acts of violence that, to date, have claimed 43 women victims of femicide in Spain, and that have left many children orphaned.
BECAUSE:
It is not accidental violence,
the risk factor is being a woman,
domination is the message.
Violence against women is a violation of Human Rights, a huge manifestation of discrimination and a major attack against women’s equality.
We support oppressed women and we take a stance against any kind of female slavery in every society: “[…] while there is one single woman or girl somewhere in the world, condemned to live in an undignified manner, we won’t be able to rest.” (Congress on Dignity, FEUP).
Total eradication of horrors of violence against women requires commitment on the part of the whole society, as well as a firm position. We cannot avoid this issue. Clara Campoamor once said: “I have denounced injustices because I do not want my silence to absolve them.”
Moreover, we declare ourselves owners of our bodies. Under no circumstances do we trade our bodies. Thus, we exercise our right to freedom and we protect our dignity.
From Spanish Federation of Popular Universities, as well as from every Popular University, WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO:
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- Promote equal opportunities between women and men.
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- Pay tribute to ethics and dignity of those women that lead us to conquer freedoms we enjoy today, by recovering historical memory of women’s fight.
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- Keep promoting awareness programs in order to prevent violence in our territories.
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- Promote educational, cultural, and social integration programmes, aimed at youth, which contribute to the transformation of effective elements, relational models, etc. Thus, encouraging the development of new values of equality that nurture healthy, respectful, and equal relationships.
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- Develop educational and cultural programmes aimed at women in position of exclusion or at risk of social inclusion for different reasons, thereby contributing to their self-esteem, qualification and empowerment.
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- Contribute to the development of educational programmes aimed at facilitating the integration of women victims of gender violence.
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- Define strategies to involve men and young men with feminist ideas.
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- Support initiatives locally developed by Popular Universities and by various social actors, which are in line with this manifesto.
