Ending impunity for violence against women

The International Women’s Day, March 8th, was celebrated in a very particular way in Sao Tome and Principe. To express their concern to the issues raised and support to the United Nations theme for this year “Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women and Girls”, many women and men participated in several marches, that ocurred in every distrit of São Tome and Principe.
ADRA STP, an active member of the National Committee for the 8th March 2007 to 8th March 2008 activities, coordinated by the Minister of Labour Solidarity Woman and Family, participated in the coordination of the events, supported its logistics and produced/financed the printing of 10.000 leaflets with information advocating for the end of impunity for violence against women and girls
The women and girls of the Project Developping Women’s Competencies, decided to state their position for this commemoration and more than 100 participate in the march of the district of Cantagalo. Their organized presence was noted and made a difference, as the Cantagalo Mayor, Mr. Jorge Dias Correia” stated: “ADRA is a close partner of our District. We thank the good work ADRA is doing in our communities”.

The Project Developping women’s and girls competencies is implemented in two Districts, Cantagalo and Caué, where we work with more than 500 women and girls, divided in 14 Associations. They are trained in more than 15 Health Themes, learn about women’s rights and participation in a democratic society, gain small businesses management skills; and each association is supported with an Income Generating Activity. The project is financed by the Government of Finland and the Finish ADRA office

The Police and the Nurse

Last Friday morning, a police officer from Angolares, the capital town of the district of Caué, the poorest district of the Island of Sao Tome, followed and stopped Nurse Ana Maria, an ADRA STP worker.
Ana Maria is the responsible person for the ADRA project activities with women and girls in the district of Caué where she works directly with 6 women and girls associations, promoting health, education, income generating and women rights and participation in the society.
After the initial surprise for having been followed by the police – nurse Ana was informed that the Women and Girls from the ADRA supported association from the community of Ribeira Peixe had filled an official complaint and were requesting action from the police.
The reason for the complaint was that after the association organized a cleaning activity in the community, a person from the community defecated in one of the places that had been cleaned. The group decided to make a stand point, denouncing the situation to the police and making everyone know that they stand by new values and that the cleaning of their community protect them, their children and everyone else against diseases like cholera.
With the intervention of nurse Ana, the situation was resolved but the stand point was made and a clear message was sent, the women from Ribeira Peixe stand for hygiene practices.
The project - developing women’s and girls competencies - is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and ADRA Finland.