Activists from Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela and Colombia make their work for human rights and diversity visible on the island. The axis is to publicize the work they do in defense, especially of girls, women and LGTBIQA* groups. The Cabildo de Tenerife invites them as part of a global protection project, since they are threatened and at risk in their countries of origin due to the activity they carry out.
The Council of Tenerife receives activists from Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela and Colombia to recognize the work they do in favor of peace, in defense of equality, diversity and human rights, especially girls, women and LGTBIQA* people, among other vulnerable groups. The group is on the island to participate in awareness and visibility activities organized by the Pedro Zerolo Foundation and the Mamachama Association. Both entities have been subsidized by the Cabildo de Tenerife, through the area of Social Action, Citizen Participation and Diversity, with 30,000 euros each, within the line destined to finance projects aimed at the protection of human rights defenders .
The activities began in March and will last until June. through the Pedro Zerolo Foundation An idea is executed based on the Somos Parte del Mundo collective, from which cooperation actions are promoted in Equatorial Guinea and Venezuela for the promotion of LGBTIQA* activism and the development of social change strategies in Tenerife. The Foundation has transferred three women from Equatorial Guinea to the Island. They are María Ramona Bengono, Gema Cándida Susé Matogo and Alfonsina Avomo Nsue Ada. They have also been accompanied by other members of the association, such as Gonzalo Abaha, Rusly Cachina Esapa and Silvia Ayang Obiang, as well as Osmely Piña Soto, Tamara Adrián and Yendri Velásquez, all three from Venezuela.
For its part, the Mamachama Association develops the project Pedagogies from the arts for human rights and the construction of peace. From it, work is being done to defend the rights of girls and women in rural areas of Colombia affected by the presence of illegal armed groups.
The association has transferred Yurelkis Arrieta Gómez, a defender of the human rights of girls and women, especially against sexual violence in areas where the armed conflict is still active, to the Island.
on both shores
Both projects focus their work on two axes of action. on one sidepromote in the countries where intervention is carried out the improvement of the situation of vulnerable people and groups and make visible and denounce their realities; from elsewhere, generate spaces for meeting and reflection in Tenerife that favor social involvement and encourage critical and committed citizenship.
The programmed actions are directed especially at educational centers, through workshops, audiovisual projections and talks as spaces for reflection and debate. Also included are specific activities aimed at staff from entities, administrations and organizations that provide care services for women, victims of gender violence, equality and youth.
The activities are aimed at a broad spectrum of the public, regardless of their diverse condition, age, race, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation. On the other hand, those of a pedagogical nature are developed for professionals, with the aim of enriching their profiles and promoting a more respectful environment towards their work groups, which ranges from children to the elderly.
Pedro Zerolo Foundation
The programming of activities of the Pedro Zerolo Foundation, focused on educational venues to generate spaces for reflection, consist of awareness workshops on basic concepts of LGBTIQA+ human rights, projections of LGBTIQA+ themed audiovisual material with subsequent debates and colloquiums to promote respect and equal opportunities for these people in Tenerife. Likewise, they are in charge of training on new perspectives regarding the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people, in addition to developing an information and dissemination campaign on the actions carried out by activists from Equatorial Guinea and their reality.
The Mamachama AssociationFor its part, with Irene and Saúl as visible heads, it proposes art workshops for children and music to heal in secondary school as resources. Also a traveling exhibition to promote awareness and prevention of sexual violence through art. They understand that it is necessary to “use artistic techniques and tools to understand the world, dialogue and express proposals for change.”
Mamachama also offers training aimed at representatives of institutions and agents that work in care for victims of gender violence.
He Council of Tenerife has taken a step in the sense of proposing the Island as a space of protection for activists in favor of human rights. In places not so far away in the imagination of the canaries, such as Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea or Colombia, it is not something sporadic, but rather this violation occurs almost daily.
