Girls and young women across much of Latin America and the Caribbean face more challenges in everyday life than their male counterparts. Teenage pregnancy; sexual and gender-based violence; little choice in when, whether and whom to marry; lack of sex education; few options for good paying jobs; being forced to drop out of school and severely limited reproductive rights are just some of the obstacles girls and young women are up against.
That’s why eight organizations supported by AJWS recently held the International Congress of Programs for the Meaningful Participation of Girls, Adolescents and Young Women in the Dominican Republic. Activists from five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean rallied around their shared missions to transform social views about gender and sexuality that hold women and girls back. The women involved in this critical work shared learnings, challenges and solidarity in the fight against gender discrimination, which many had experienced firsthand.
Beatriz Rosario, volunteer with AJWS partner Movimiento de Mujeres Dominico Haitianas (MUDHA) shared: “When my mother died at the age of 10, people said that by 15 I would be married with a child. Thanks to MUDHA and other support, I was able to break the chain of [teen] pregnancy and child marriage.”
Rosa Rosario, programmatic coordinator with AJWS partner Centro para la Educación y el Desarrollo (CEDUCA), had a similar experience to Beatriz, which motivated her to change the systems holding her and her family back:
“I am the oldest sister of 4 siblings of a single mother. I saw my mother struggling against the current. Before it was more difficult, I observed my mother sacrificing things, making spaces to give us a better quality of life. And the mistreatment she had to go through. This made me want to be part of the change that would dismantle the patriarchal system.”
And while many women face similar challenges around reproductive rights and harmful gender-based norms, Black women have additional obstacles in their paths. The Dominican government has policies in place that allow Haitian migrants to be deported without due process. This has emboldened officers to deport Black Dominicans and Dominicans of Haitian descent while perpetuating anti-Black sentiments in Dominican society. Love Chinica, coordinator of work with adolescent and young people with Mujeres Socio Política Mamá Tingó (MSPMT), shared that “not all women face the same set of challenges. As a young Black woman…I may be deported, I may be beaten…and I feel like it’s a challenge and a constant threat.”
Younger girls face even more obstacles than their older peers. In Latin American societies—and other societies around the world—cultural beliefs that younger people do not deserve to participate in society in a meaningful way persist. This leaves young girls with very little power and control over most aspects of their lives.
The women and girls at the gathering shared their struggles, but also their hope and solidarity. Safe spaces for girls to express themselves like the ones created by AJWS partners—plus the nationwide gathering itself—are rare. In fact, this first-of-its-kind convening was four years in the making, the result of a collective empowerment process supported by AJWS. Grants include support for mental health, getting families more involved in their daughters’ lives, spaces for boys and young men to explore new models of masculinity, and a consortium of grantees to share learnings and solidarity with support every step of the way from locally-based AJWS staff.
So while these activists and the girls they support are facing numerous challenges, they are also becoming leaders in an emerging movement for their rights. Bringing together over 200 women and girls in a space to talk about their lives, rights and dreams isn’t just unusual: It’s revolutionary. And it wasn’t over when the participants went back home; the girls, young women and their organizations have already started planning the next convening that will take place in 2025, to show the world that they can change the world!
