Rio celebrates International Women's Day

Rio de Janeiro saw the early morning light shine upon inspiring images all across the city today. Pictures of women with messages for gender equality, freedom to come and go,  decriminalization of abortion, and fight against violence could be seen fixed to light posts, walls, and even bicycles on the streets of the city's downtown, north and south areas.

The interventions are part of protests and initiatives marking the International Women's Day week.

Another demonstration is to be staged on the subway. Whistles will be handed out to women, who will be told to blow them whenever they are being victimized by men.

Women's mobilization

A number of initiatives are part of the Circuito Mulheres Mobilizadas (“Mobilized Women's Circuit”, in a literal translation), which put together a common schedule of activities for feminist activists and volunteers. “Women have thought about the problems in their territories and measures to address them,” said Fernanda Garcia, 20, a representative of the Meu Rio NGO (“My Rio”), which is behind the collective plan.

The idea to put up posters portraying women and inspirational messages was conceived by the Feminicidade project. Visual artist Lolla Angelucci, 35, one of the minds behind the project, says the idea came about in São Paulo and was adapted to Rio de Janeiro.

“We women are not voiced enough in this society dominated by men. In order to have our space, our chance to speak, we've decided to take the public space, urging people to think,” she said.

Among pictures of elderly women, transsexual women, prostitutes and self-employed women, for instance, is that of Marcela Nogueira, a student from São Paulo. A photo of her was published on social media networks in which she is seen pulling a school chair from the hands of a police officer amid a protest against the school reform in São Paulo. “People from the outskirts of the city have no idea how powerful they can be. Our weapons are the pen, the pencil, and the books,” she says.

One of the volunteers in the movement highlighted the need for further discussion on abortion in a society that punishes women for an unwanted pregnancy. “We argue for a legal and safe abortion, ending the countless deaths of poor women, whereas the rich ones have [safe] abortions, in private clinics,” said museologist Danielle Machado.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira