Comite Latinoamericano para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer
Background
The effort to develop the regional WLD network in Latin America was the most challenging of the three. It is a credit to the women from Central and South America that they achieved the same goal as the others, but did so without the same level of support. Whereas both Africa and Asia had counted on donors to back a process of broad, organic, participatory program outreach, planning and consolidation, Latin America could bank on no such funding. There were many reasons for the initial lack of support. Changing donor priorities gave Latin America a disadvantage in many cases. There were simply fewer sources to draw upon. And where donor interest in women's rights did exist, competition for funding became an issue.
In the case of Latin America, we had hoped that the Ford Foundation would be as supportive there as they had been in Asia and later in Africa. When we sought funding for the WLD work in Latin America, we were told that this decision had to be made at the Ford regional offices, rather than New York. At that time, one of the projects that Ford funded in South America was the Inter-American Legal Services Association (ILSA). Initially, ILSA, a new organization based in Bogota, Colombia, had been very cooperative with WLD as we planned for Nairobi. But shortly after Nairobi, they decided to develop their own women's rights program within ILSA. That put WLD in direct competition. The Latin American Nairobi WLD participants were already on their way to forging their own organization and identity and were not interested in being subsumed under ILSA. The Ford Foundation office covering the Andean region, where most of the WLD activity was being developed, decided to stay with ILSA, and not fund the WLD process.
The result was a somewhat disjointed process for Latin America over three years in which we cobbled together bits of funding here and opportunities there in an effort to achieve the goal everyone had agreed to in Nairobi: holding a regional conference to share and analyze women's rights issues and strategies and to establish an independent, autonomous, regional organization.
In Asia and Africa, we were able to hold preparatory meetings and workshops throughout the region so that all who attended the conference could come with a similar level of preparation, ready for in-depth discussions on the issues and strategies and the function of a regional organization. A common preparatory process of this nature facilitates personal connections and creates bonds of solidarity and understanding within the emerging organization. It also mediates the different levels of theoretical understanding and practice among the participants. In Latin America, the preparatory process was more uneven. The experience of participants in South America was different than it was in Central America. Members did not go through the same exercises of analysis at the same time or in the same way. A conference eventually took place and they did all eventually connect under CLADEM, but it was a bit more difficult to achieve.
In the case of Latin America, we had hoped that the Ford Foundation would be as supportive there as they had been in Asia and later in Africa. When we sought funding for the WLD work in Latin America, we were told that this decision had to be made at the Ford regional offices, rather than New York. At that time, one of the projects that Ford funded in South America was the Inter-American Legal Services Association (ILSA). Initially, ILSA, a new organization based in Bogota, Colombia, had been very cooperative with WLD as we planned for Nairobi. But shortly after Nairobi, they decided to develop their own women's rights program within ILSA. That put WLD in direct competition. The Latin American Nairobi WLD participants were already on their way to forging their own organization and identity and were not interested in being subsumed under ILSA. The Ford Foundation office covering the Andean region, where most of the WLD activity was being developed, decided to stay with ILSA, and not fund the WLD process.
The result was a somewhat disjointed process for Latin America over three years in which we cobbled together bits of funding here and opportunities there in an effort to achieve the goal everyone had agreed to in Nairobi: holding a regional conference to share and analyze women's rights issues and strategies and to establish an independent, autonomous, regional organization.
In Asia and Africa, we were able to hold preparatory meetings and workshops throughout the region so that all who attended the conference could come with a similar level of preparation, ready for in-depth discussions on the issues and strategies and the function of a regional organization. A common preparatory process of this nature facilitates personal connections and creates bonds of solidarity and understanding within the emerging organization. It also mediates the different levels of theoretical understanding and practice among the participants. In Latin America, the preparatory process was more uneven. The experience of participants in South America was different than it was in Central America. Members did not go through the same exercises of analysis at the same time or in the same way. A conference eventually took place and they did all eventually connect under CLADEM, but it was a bit more difficult to achieve.
Planning
OEF had a bit of funding to support the beginning of the Latin American organizing process and in February of 1986 those who had participated in the WLD Nairobi forum met in Lima, Peru, to discuss drawing up a plan to apply the Forum's recommendations in the Latin American region. They came from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina. Roxana Vásquez, of Peru volunteered to spearhead the process going forward. There were other meetings of this group over the next year, but as time went on it became increasingly evident the that resources for a more systematic preparatory process were not going to materialize. It was well into 1987, almost two years after Nairobi, and I was feeling apprehensive about the funding situation of the Latin American WLD group.
During that period I was asked by OEF to oversee a program in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica called the “Education for Participation” Project (PEP, being the Spanish acronym). It was a community education project with the goal of empowering several local communities in each country to understand their environment, analyze their problems, set goals, devise strategies and advocate for the social changes they wanted to see. Our role was developing the capacity of the three country teams of educators who were engaged directly with the local communities. The methods used in this process were not dissimilar to the awareness raising agenda the WLD groups had prioritized. Also, the PEP director in Honduras, a young women lawyer, Narda Meléndez, showed interest in being involved in WLD. It was at that point that I had the idea of holding a mini conference linked to the PEP project on the topic of popular education and rights awareness and invite as many of the WLD Latin Americans as I could reasonably fund. They could participate, share their perspectives, learn, network and then hold their own meeting.
So it was that in 1987, following the PEP education conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, that the WLD participants discussed forming a regional organization and decided to set up the Latin American Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM). They named a liaison group that included:
During that period I was asked by OEF to oversee a program in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica called the “Education for Participation” Project (PEP, being the Spanish acronym). It was a community education project with the goal of empowering several local communities in each country to understand their environment, analyze their problems, set goals, devise strategies and advocate for the social changes they wanted to see. Our role was developing the capacity of the three country teams of educators who were engaged directly with the local communities. The methods used in this process were not dissimilar to the awareness raising agenda the WLD groups had prioritized. Also, the PEP director in Honduras, a young women lawyer, Narda Meléndez, showed interest in being involved in WLD. It was at that point that I had the idea of holding a mini conference linked to the PEP project on the topic of popular education and rights awareness and invite as many of the WLD Latin Americans as I could reasonably fund. They could participate, share their perspectives, learn, network and then hold their own meeting.
So it was that in 1987, following the PEP education conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, that the WLD participants discussed forming a regional organization and decided to set up the Latin American Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM). They named a liaison group that included:
- Argentina (Cristina Zurutuza),
- Nicaragua (a representative of AMNLAE),
- Bolivia (Julieta Montano),
- Honduras (Narda Meléndez),
- Ecuador (Rosario Gomez) and
- Peru (Roxana Vasquez).
The Purpose and program of CLADEM
At their initial planning meetings, the liaison group defined CLADEM's objectives, as follows:
At their initial planning meetings, the liaison group defined CLADEM's objectives, as follows:
- to promote the defense of women's rights in the region;
- to contribute to the exchange of experiences among those working to defend women's rights;
- to consolidate networks of solidarity among women on national, regional, and interregional levels;
- to create mechanisms to enable quick response to emergency situations confronting women;
- to struggle for greater political participation of women so that their perspective is included in national and regional-level discussions and decision-making;
- to develop an alternative understanding of the law, responding to women's needs and contributing to the elimination of all forms of discrimination; and
- to become a voice for the needs and demands of women as a pressure group against Latin American governments who do not value women's rights.
WLD Central America and CLADEM
We already knew that funding for South America would not be forthcoming, but thought there might be a way to assist CLADEM by introducing the WLD concept to women in Central America. WLD/OEF then appealed to the Ford Foundation office that funded projects in Mexico and Central America, to support a WLD project for that region. As we had done in Asia and would do in Africa, the proposal was to engage women and organizations in a process of examining the legal constraints facing women in their countries and identify the actions that could be taken in response, either locally or regionally. A final, concluding conference would bring participants together to share their results. We were very happy when Ford agreed to back this project. It was the funding we had wished for—but limited to Central America. Still, we thought we could make it work for everyone, somehow.
Lisa VeneKlasen, who had recently joined the WLD staff, traveled throughout the region to identify additional women and groups interested in the WLD initiative. This was during a volatile period in Central America with civil unrest and violence rampant in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Nevertheless, Lisa and I managed to facilitate WLD workshops in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
In mid-October 1988, after the workshops were concluded, we convened a conference planning meeting in Mexico City. Present were women from Mexico (Anilú Elías, Aida Reboredo, Mireya Toto, Elena Urrutia), Costa Rica (Alda Facio, Ligia Martín), El Salvador (Ma Candelaria Navas, Maggi Popkin), Honduras (Olga Susana Martínez, Narda Meléndez) and Nicaragua (Rosa Marina Zelaya, Analucía Silva Molina). We also asked two members of CLADEM’s regional liaison committee to be part of the planning process, Roxana Vásquez from Peru and Julieta Montaño from Bolivia. It was important to have the leadership of CLADEM part of the planning process, so they could play a role in the actual conference.
We already knew that funding for South America would not be forthcoming, but thought there might be a way to assist CLADEM by introducing the WLD concept to women in Central America. WLD/OEF then appealed to the Ford Foundation office that funded projects in Mexico and Central America, to support a WLD project for that region. As we had done in Asia and would do in Africa, the proposal was to engage women and organizations in a process of examining the legal constraints facing women in their countries and identify the actions that could be taken in response, either locally or regionally. A final, concluding conference would bring participants together to share their results. We were very happy when Ford agreed to back this project. It was the funding we had wished for—but limited to Central America. Still, we thought we could make it work for everyone, somehow.
Lisa VeneKlasen, who had recently joined the WLD staff, traveled throughout the region to identify additional women and groups interested in the WLD initiative. This was during a volatile period in Central America with civil unrest and violence rampant in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Nevertheless, Lisa and I managed to facilitate WLD workshops in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
In mid-October 1988, after the workshops were concluded, we convened a conference planning meeting in Mexico City. Present were women from Mexico (Anilú Elías, Aida Reboredo, Mireya Toto, Elena Urrutia), Costa Rica (Alda Facio, Ligia Martín), El Salvador (Ma Candelaria Navas, Maggi Popkin), Honduras (Olga Susana Martínez, Narda Meléndez) and Nicaragua (Rosa Marina Zelaya, Analucía Silva Molina). We also asked two members of CLADEM’s regional liaison committee to be part of the planning process, Roxana Vásquez from Peru and Julieta Montaño from Bolivia. It was important to have the leadership of CLADEM part of the planning process, so they could play a role in the actual conference.
The Conference
The 4-day conference took place in San Jose, Costa Rica beginning on January 12, 1989. Fifty-eight participants came from Mexico and the Central America countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama. CLADEM was represented by fourteen members representing the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Paraguay. With CLADEM's presence, we hoped they could link with the Central Americans and, thus, expand their reach.
Although this was not a "founding" conference as in the case of the other WLD networks, it did contribute to consolidating and expanding the organization. The conceptual and organizational work the women from the Andean countries had done to launch CLADEM over the previous three years added an important dimension to the analytical work of the recently concluded Central American workshops. CLADEM's flexible organizational structures and clear goals and procedures constituted a firm foundation on which to incorporate new members dedicated to using the law to empower women throughout Latin America. The conference, thus, became a vehicle for dialog and networking, so that a strong action-oriented regional CLADEM presence throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean could emerge.
For four days the conferees discussed issues related to violence against women, women's equality in the law and discrimination in practice. They discussed the strategies that could be used at the local and regional levels to pressure governments to comply with national and international norms protecting women's rights. They analyzed and prioritized organizing educational campaigns to create consciousness about discrimination against women. They also discussed the importance of mobilizing national and regional opinion against violations of the civil, legal, and human rights of women.
Although this was not a "founding" conference as in the case of the other WLD networks, it did contribute to consolidating and expanding the organization. The conceptual and organizational work the women from the Andean countries had done to launch CLADEM over the previous three years added an important dimension to the analytical work of the recently concluded Central American workshops. CLADEM's flexible organizational structures and clear goals and procedures constituted a firm foundation on which to incorporate new members dedicated to using the law to empower women throughout Latin America. The conference, thus, became a vehicle for dialog and networking, so that a strong action-oriented regional CLADEM presence throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean could emerge.
For four days the conferees discussed issues related to violence against women, women's equality in the law and discrimination in practice. They discussed the strategies that could be used at the local and regional levels to pressure governments to comply with national and international norms protecting women's rights. They analyzed and prioritized organizing educational campaigns to create consciousness about discrimination against women. They also discussed the importance of mobilizing national and regional opinion against violations of the civil, legal, and human rights of women.
Participants
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Costa Rica
Ana Elena Badilla Gómez, Lawyer Ana Inés Cambronero Marín, * Educator Alda Fació, Lawyer Rosalía Camacho Granados, Lawyer Ana Carcedo, Univeristy Professor Ana Hernández Bolaños, Lawyer Rose Mary Madden, Lawyer CLADEM-Costa Rica Flory Isabel Meza Calvo, Counselor Ana Isabel García Quesad,* Researcher Monserrat Sagot,* Sociologist Ligia Martín Salazar, Anthropologist Ana Elena Obando Mendoza, Lawyer María Victoria Ruiz Ruiz,* Social Worker Zaira Salazar,* Community Organizer Thais Rodríguez Sandoval,* Secretary Marta Eugenia Solano Arias,* Lawyer Vera Ramírez Alpízar,* Theologian Marina de Solano* Executive Director Tatiana Soto Cabrera Lawyer,, CLADEM-Costa Rica Ligia M. Delgadillo,* Political Scientist El Salvador Inés Angélica Batres, Psychologist María Candelaria Nava, Sociologist Isabel Ramírez, Social Worker Patricia Marín,* Pediatrician Margaret Popkin, Lawyer Honduras Olivia Margarita Domínguez, Lawyer CLADEM-Honduras Narda Meléndez, Lawyer CLADEM-Honduras Alba Leticia Ochoa Camacho, Agronomist CLADEM-Honduras Gloria García,* Agronomist Selma C. Meléndez, Lawyer Guatemala Diana Alma I. Chávez Ramírez, Agronomist Ana Patricia Ispanel Medinilla, Accountant Floridalma Téllez, Lawyer México Ximena Bedregal, Architect Patricia Begné, Lawyer Beatriz Guadalupe Benavides Zapién, Sociologist Elsa Castellano,* Sociologist María del Rosario Huerta Lara, Lawyer |
México
Clara Brugada Molina, Economist Anilú Elias, Journalist Cristina Martín Arrieta, Economist Isabel Montero Mora* Lawyer Dolores Padierna Luna, Economist Sara Román Esquivel, * Economist Ma. Del Carmen Nava Pérez, Sociologist Aída Revoredo Arroyo, Psychologist Mireya Toto Gutiérrez, Lawyer Panamá Marta Gómez, Socióloga Esmeralda de Troitiño, Lawyer Gladys Miller Ramírez, Social Worker Nicaragua Lucía Aguirre Stadthagen, Socióloga Ma.de la Cruz Silva Cajina, Psychologist Ma.Auxiliadora Flores M., Lawyer Minerva Gutiérrez Arguello, Lawyer Zoila Guadamuz Núñez, Social Worker Ana Lucía Silva Molina Lawyer Aracely Trejos Talamante, Family Counselor Rosa Marina Zelaya Velásquez, Lawyer South American CLADEM Members Luisa Campos, O.P. Lawyer, Dominican Republic Lidice Lee Teacher, Venezuela Marta Lucía Uribe Psychologist, Colombia Rosario Gómez Social Worker, Ecuador Rosa Mavila León Lawyer, Perú Roxana Vásquez Sotelo Lawyer, Perú Sonia Montaño Sociologist, Bolivia Susana Chiarotti Lawyer, Argentina María Cristina Zurutuza Psychologist, Argentina Nelly González Tapia Lawyer, Chile Mireya Suárez* Anthropologist , Brasil Silvia Pimentel Law Professor, Brasil María Rita Taulois de Oliveira Silva Teacher, Brasil Esther Prieto, Jurist, Paraguay WLD/OEF Margaret Schuler Lisa VeneKlasen Meg Kimmel Those with a * by their name were there as observers. |
Program
As CLADEM began to develop its own identity and consider its organizational structure, it recognized the importance of respecting the individuality and differences among women and groups from each country as a prerequisite for strengthening the network. Its aim was to develop a viable, effective, and authentically democratic regional coalition. Each country set up its own national committee. These committee in turn linked to the regional liaison committee for the purpose of implementing the planned activities. Communication with the regional body was to occur primarily through the national groupings, although direct ties could also be established. They wanted membership to be open to all persons, groups, NGOs, and in special cases governmental organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean that shared the objectives of CLADEM and worked directly in defense of women's rights.
In keeping with its goals of strengthening women's awareness and practice of their rights, CLADEM members carried out a variety of socio-legal activities at the local level, including legal assistance, training, dissemination, and research. In analyzing these activities, CLADEM detected two problems. First, the impact of grassroots projects often did not extend beyond the small radius of the projects themselves due to their isolation and second, since minimal information about effective strategies was available, there was a tendency for new projects to repeat old methodologies rather than incorporate newer better developed alternatives. In response, CLADEM set a goal of structuring a means to support and disseminate conceptual and methodological developments that would make their work more effective.
CLADEM, therefore, defined its purpose in the following terms:
In keeping with its goals of strengthening women's awareness and practice of their rights, CLADEM members carried out a variety of socio-legal activities at the local level, including legal assistance, training, dissemination, and research. In analyzing these activities, CLADEM detected two problems. First, the impact of grassroots projects often did not extend beyond the small radius of the projects themselves due to their isolation and second, since minimal information about effective strategies was available, there was a tendency for new projects to repeat old methodologies rather than incorporate newer better developed alternatives. In response, CLADEM set a goal of structuring a means to support and disseminate conceptual and methodological developments that would make their work more effective.
CLADEM, therefore, defined its purpose in the following terms:
- pressuring governments to comply with international norms protecting women's rights;
- sustaining public support for judicial actions of decisive importance in women's cases; and
- organizing educational campaigns to create consciousness about discrimination against women.
- CLADEM Peru began a campaign opposing violence against women. The campaign promoted debates and generated new proposals on approaches to improving women's legal and social status.
- CLADEM Costa Rica focused on a variety of activities centered on the Law of Real Equality for Women.
- CLADEM Honduras organized actions to improve civil and penal laws as they affect women.
- Extrajudicial solutions that benefit women. These have yet to be systematized, disseminated and publicized to other Latin American groups.
- The continuous clash between judicial resolution of conflicts and methods used by the majority of people. Either exclusion or idealization of these common methods hinders the development of transformative strategies for defending women's rights.
- Our backgrounds and the demands of "professional training." These tend to bias the lawyer's perception of human relations and the process of conflict resolution. In order to counteract this tendency, specific proposals must be drawn up for university education and teaching in general.
- Analysis of laws from a gender perspective. This is important for the development of alternative strategies to defend women's rights.
- An interdisciplinary methodology. An integrated approach is critical to understanding of the problem of women and law.
CLADEM
Assisting local group action and pressuring governments to respect women's rights.
CLADEM was particularly sensitive to the need to clearly define the theoretical perspective and focus of any strategy in order to set priorities for action. As a first step in this direction they targeted the analysis of "official law" on both national and international levels in order to clarify the internal logic of the law and critique its limitations. A second step was to develop an understanding of those areas that formally remain outside the law but which have decisive importance in affirming rights and resolving conflicts. CLADEM insisted that its point of departure had to be the everyday lives of women. Only in this way could a critical assessment of the legal system's underlying assumptions and practices be developed.
By August 1988, the liaison group had achieved these initial targets:
- consolidation of information channels
- procurement of legal status for CLADEM
- an inventory of existing resources on the defense of women's rights
- production of a regional directory/information guide
- publication of a brochure and calendar to publicize CLADEM
- production of a monthly informational newsletter
- organization of a regional archive
- development of fundraising proposals and activities
- development of a proposal for visits, internships and workshops for people and groups from different parts of the network
- an evaluation meeting of the group's work after eight months
- organization of a regional event on violence against women
- development of information channels in emergency situations.
The workplan set for 1988-90 proposed several specific activities, based on CLADEM's objectives and priorities within five threads of action.
- Institutional Development. Institutional development initially entailed establishing regular contact with governmental and nongovernmental agencies, international and Latin American organizations, networks, news agencies, etc., that could affect decision making related to women's rights. A regional publicity plan aimed to support outreach efforts to find new members and establish a network of collaborators that support CLADEM's objectives. Finally, periodic evaluation of the regional work supported CLADEM's institutional development during this period.
- Communication and Publicity The principal means of communication with the members would the bi-monthly newsletter to report on activities held and materials received, plus a substantive article on concepts or methodologies to help the work of the members. A semi-annual bulletin would report on and assess the work performed during that period. The newsletter was intended as the internal communication tool, while the bulletin would have a dual role of informing the membership and publicizing the network. Finally, a booklet was being planned to explain CLADEM's formation and consolidation as part of the Third World experience, and its linkage to the Nairobi Forum, the Asia Pacific Forum, and now the group being formed in Africa.
- Vigilance, Pressure and Mobilization A major focus of CLADEM's activities during this period would be the design, coordination, and support of a regional campaign against domestic violence, its purpose to raise the public's awareness about the situation of women in Latin America. In this campaign, legal and other alternatives for action would be defined. Related activities would be then sponsored in each country according to its own legal circumstances. The campaign was planned as a continuous, long-term project, promoted from regional headquarters and publicized throughout each country. A second aspect of the vigilance task was the plan for emergency action, that is, activating the CLADEM network to mobilize public opinion in support of victims of rape, arbitrary arrest, disappearances, or torture. The network would also mobilize around trials whose outcome might affect women's status in contemporary jurisprudence. Under the plan for emergency action, the national liaison group, or anyone in the country, would notify the regional coordinator, who in turn would implement the plan for emergency action, using the methods required by each case. The emergency response plan included procedural guidelines, a list of necessary documentation, a publicity strategy, and the mobilization of the CLADEM network of collaborators.
- Research The research component was designed with several aspects. The first being the identification of existing resource centers in the various countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and formalizing coordination with them in order to obtain information about women and law at a regional level. The purpose of this inventory would be to increase access to information on specific issues and in this way, strengthen communication between the members and the regional body.
In addition to developing a data base on women, law, and development, CLADEM set out to compile and analyze the most important Latin America studies on spouse/partner abuse, and publish a book on this work.
It also planned to design and carry out a project to systematically analyze judicial decisions with gender implications in the countries of the region.
Finally, CLADEM planned to promote and support research by the national liaison groups on such issues as: food rights and benefits for the poor; labor regulations for domestic workers; compliance with the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. - Training and Technical Assistance In this final area, CLADEM planned to assess training needs in detail in order to determine the content and methodology of the program still to be developed. The program was expected to include assistance to groups and institutions on the design and organization of research and action projects that will promote women's rights. Through the liaison groups in each country, CLADEM planned to implement national workshops and hold a regional conference on the law and violence against women where the results of the on-going campaign against domestic violence will be evaluated.
During the second year, it expected to organize a regional workshop to explore alternative legal defense strategies for women developed by either government or private organizations and analyze their theoretical underpinnings.
Since its founding in 1987, CLADEM has continued to develop, maintaining a strong presence in Latin America in promotion and defense of women's rights. Over the years CLADEM has received numerous awards in recognition of its work.
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See CLADEM today. Click on the logo to access their website. |
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Continue on to Africa and WILDAF, the third of the networks to organize.
