Seeds, Stories & Solidarity (Fall 2025) - Magazine - Page 52
RFM: What’s an example of how women have changed
the tune?
NW: There’s the Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
That’s not an auxiliary campaign; that’s a seminal campaign
for how rural communities and society have to put a stop to
gender-based violence—in our homes, in our communities,
and in our public policies. And that’s not just a women’s
issue, that’s a social justice issue. [And ] we’re on the
road. We’re not nearly there. I mean, it’s outrageous and
heartbreaking how much violence against women there is,
particularly vulnerable women who are migrants, or in war
zones… It’s unbelievable and heartbreaking.
Nevertheless, if we as a movement, people in all parts
of the world, don’t take that on as a real issue, and raise
consciousness around it, it will never change. Change
happens when you start raising your voice. And then when
you see all those flags waving, you know it started.
RFM: How does it feel standing up there [during the 8th
International Conference] with so many women of all
ages from all over the world?
NW: It [feels] in some ways, a little overwhelming, but also
very reassuring. We’re never on our own, and I never felt
like I was on my own. I was the only woman on the ICC for
those first years, but I never felt I was alone there. For one, a
lot of the male counterparts in this movement are also very
progressive and justice-minded. So there wasn’t hostility
there. But more importantly, I always felt like I was in a big
embrace, that there were many, many sisters everywhere
who were working on and committed to the same agenda.
And today again, I felt surrounded by sisters from all over
the world, whose experiences and wisdom and joy of living
permeated the event, the mistica.
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