Estefanía Mendoza is the Coordinator of Plans, Projects and
Planning for Mulier, a civil society organization that was established as a
communicational platform to inform about women’s issues in the world, in
Venezuela and of course, in Maracaibo.
Andrea Márquez, along with her best friend, did not just want to inform about
the progress and difficult conditions of women around the world, they also
wanted to create pockets of hope and sisterhood; generate support movements and
collaboration: all with one, and one with all.
This idea from these two
friends has now become a hub for conversation and an encounter for women on a
global scale. You only have to look at Mulier’s Instagram
profile and open one of her posts to find lively discussions of hundreds of
female users who share their issues, doubts, hopes and fears about what it
means to be a woman.
‘After we were faced with the situation women go through in the world, in
Venezuela and in Maracaibo, we said to ourselves: we have to do something more
than just inform’, comments our defender of the month at the start of the
interview. After participating in a forum to prevent trafficking of women and
child in migratory contexts, Estefanía sat with us to talk about Mulier’s new continuously
growing projects, to generate a larger impact and search for conditions that
benefit Maracaibo’s women.
What are Mulier’s next initiatives?
In the last two years, with the support of Convite AC, we monitored medication
specifically for women. We were also a part of the drafting of reports, undertaken
by the NGO Civilis, about the complex humanitarian emergency by offering a
gender perspective.
This year, we are focused on preventing trafficking of women and child in
migratory contexts. Today, we held an event about it, and the idea is to
generate a prevention campaign for women, adolescents and girls, that allows
them to know the ways they could be exposed to these trafficking networks and
can protect themselves to migrate safely or stay in Venezuela without being at
risk.
In September, we’re also starting a new educational project aimed to give tools to teachers to detect gender biases in their lessons.
Tell us more about the
“Free and Safe” campaign.
For us is very important to promote the “Free and Safe” campaign, that has the
intention of informing about the dangers of human trafficking, in order for
women, adolescents and girls know that this crime is on the rise.
All of us are vulnerable, especially those who decide to leave the country or
those who are in such a vulnerable condition that they can get trapped in deceiving
job offers. It is very important to talk about this topic and for us to
contribute to the prevention of human trafficking in our role as civil society.
What does it mean to be a woman in Venezuela today?
To be a woman in Venezuela today means to confront many challenges,
not only the problems we can see at face value, like hunger and economic,
health and transportation crises. There are also the personal and private decisions,
like leaving to another country and leaving your family and children to make
money to support them. ,There is also the personal decision of having children
or not in such a difficult situation in the country.
Family separation is a very significant challenge for the Venezuelan woman,
whom culturally has a very close relationship with the home. I think that it is
time to re-examine our priorities and objectives, to not limit our life to just
one aspect, but to develop our professional careers and have a wholesome
outlook of what it means to be a woman.
Why bet on feminism?
As time goes by, we start to ask ourselves: why is no one asking me when will I
get a job promotion? How is the Masters degree going? Why are they always
asking me when will l get married? Why does society only sees me in the
maternal role? To answer these questions about this kind of inequality and
social pressure, the only answer is Feminism.
Feminism is a political concept that is very freeing for women. We are
programmed to feel guilt if we do not get married, if we do not have kids or if
we do not look a certain way. Feminism tells you: No, you have the liberty
to be whoever you want to be and do whatever you want to do. You shouldn’t
be imposed with stereotypes and roles.
Women are constantly questioned and scrutinized, too much is expected from us and
we are barely helped, and what is done for us is understood as help and not an
act of shared responsibility. If we want to have a democratic society, the
first thing that has to change is our personal relationships and, unfortunately,
our relationships are tainted with inequality between men and women.
What is the most satisfactory thing about your work as an
activist?
What I enjoy the most is the possibility to be able to do new things and new
projects. In these last two years, I have worked with people who are doing
wonderful things for the country, not only in Mulier, but also in organizations
such as Convite AC, Codhez and Civilis.
Related to women’s matters, for me the education aspect is the most important: to
bring information to women and understand that gender equality goes beyond a
discussion of who is better, is to transform our personal relationships so that
they’re more democratic and so that there is not a subordinate, but equals who
can develop their own potential without any other limitation than their own
choices.
What are the challenges
for the Feminist movement in Venezuela?
The biggest challenge is the situation itself; there are so many things to do,
but few people to take on these things. The Feminist movement in Venezuela has dedicated
some time to achieving better life conditions for women as well as the society
in general, because these measures and policies that benefit women also benefit
society.
This situation is a true challenge because we are going through
the same circumstances for which we are motivated to help, and we must garner
strength and take advantage of the commitment that we have to help each other.
We are making an effort to unite and achieve our objectives: to live in a
Venezuela that does not discriminate, where there is equality of opportunities
and women can live in freedom, making their own decisions about their body and
destiny. I think we will achieve it.