In commemoration of November 25th, the National and International Day of Non Violence Against Women, CEMUJER in a festively decorated car with loudspeakers greeted the women of El Salvador and the women’s organizations of El Salvador who organized a march towards the central government buildings to campaign for a safer society for women and for justice for the Salvadoran women who have been violated and murdered and whose cases have never been resolved in court.

CEMUJER joined the Concertación Feminista Prudencia Ayala and the Red Feminista Frente a la Violencia contra la Mujer by signing a letter which was sent to the Legislative Assembly demanding that the Government of El Salvador return to its commitment to prevent, sanction, and eradicate femicide “the most extreme form of gender based violence against women”. The letter requested that the cases of violence against women and cases of rape and murder like in the case of Katya Miranda would be would be thoroughly investigated.

The women’s organizations expressed concern in light of the increase of violence against women stating that in 2005 there were 3,166 cases of sexual violence reported, there were 3,390 in 2006, 3,343 in 2007 and that up to August 2008 there had been 1,128 cases of sexual violence reported. The number of femicides have also increased. There were 260 femicides reported in 2004, 390 in 2005, 437 in 2006, 337 in 2007, and up to May 2008 there have been 124 femicides reported.

The events of the 25th of November are part of an on-going campaign for the eradication of violence against women in El Salvador. All of these actions wish to highlight that El Salvador as a country that has ratified the Interamerican Convention to Prevent, Sanction, and Eradicate Violence Against Women, the Belém do Pará Convention. In the framework of this Convention the women’s organizations are trying to hold the Salvadoran Government accountable to their previous commitments to help eradicate violence against women.