Together We Stand - Project 'Girl Power'
Young women and teenage girls from all over Nicaragua came together to share their opinions, ideas and proposals, to both demand and promote their rights, in the first ever training camp of 'Project Girl Power' a real driving force for local NGO's including , Casa Alianza Nicaragua, Plan Nicaragua, The Institute of Human Promotion and the Association of Workers for Education, Health and Social Intergration. They all signed an ‘Agreement to Unite Intentions in order to join forces and reduce violence against women and girls through a long term project called ‘Girl Power’
The meetings lasted three days took place at the Hotel Pueblo Viejo in Managua in January with the objective of finding out the views from those who are at the forefront of promoting women who are socially, economically and culturally disadvantaged in Nicaragua. The issues discussed were; different impressions of situations involving violence, empowerment initiatives, and the use of group dynamics, talks and basic training in audio visual formats in order to spread the message on a wide scale. It is also intended to have a positive impact on their surroundings and put an end to negative conditions. The running of ‘Girl Power’ will be developed in a coordinated way, but through the individual management of the associated organisations.
The agreement, "Girl Power", was signed by María José Argüello, the National Director of Casa Alianza Nicaragua, and will be carried out over the next five years. Projects will be conducted on the individual, community, and state level, to provide as many women and girls as possible with the tools to prevent and overcome violence.
The agreement goes hand in hand with Casa Alianza's multidisciplinary model of care to our female residents, all of whom have been the victims of some form of violence, and will especially support the team of psychologists to help girls come to terms with the enormously difficult situations they have faced, providing the mechanisms to heal.
The project will also support Casa Alianza in providing sports and recreational activities for girls, including a national girls-only camping event, in which girls will gather together from across Nicaragua, to combat violence.
In a country like Nicaragua, dominated by a macho culture and very high levels of domestic violence, a project such as this is of utmost importance. We sincerely hope it will enable us to protect even more teenage girls in need of our care, helping them create a life free from violence.
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