Northeast Pará Women’s Movement (MMNEPA)

The project, selected in 2010, is a continuation of the activities carried out in 2009, also with the support of the Brazil Fund. The idea is to promote the valuing of women as human beings, ensuring their place in society with respect and dignity. This will be done through the building of critical awareness in the population with regard to violence against women and the building of a collective effort to address this problem. Integrated and articulated actions mobilized over forty women’s groups and other organizations.

In addition to workshops and trainings on Women’s Rights, the movement intends to do a survey and analysis of cases in the region, which would make the construction of a diagnosis of the situation possible. A communication campaign based on informational brochures and the 1st March to Combat Violence against Women in Northeastern Pará have also been planned.

The movement advocates for women’s rights, fighting for society and the government to recognize those rights and ensure concrete conditions for the full exercise of citizenship and for gender equality.

The MMNEPA conducts women’s training meetings on issues of health and sexuality; public and participatory budget; gender and public policies; rights’ violations; and the guidelines of the “Maria da Penha” Law. In addition, the women’s groups from urban and rural cities of Pará are assisted in order to encourage their participation in local and state councils to ensure the issuing of public policies.

The movement is also involved in several local, state, national and international events, such as the World Social Forum, the celebration of International Women’s Day, the Screams of the Field and Brazilian Land, the March of Women in Belém and Brasília, the Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Meeting against Sexual and Domestic Violence, and the Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women.