The delegate of the Government in Navarre, Alicia Echeverría, has assured that “these are difficult times for women in many places of the world” since “the reactionary wave that is reaching many countries has once again put on the table speeches that we thought were overcome and that threaten our social achievements”. “We see rights and freedoms that we believed were consolidated in jeopardy,” said the government delegate, but “they will have us in front of those who defend equality, we are proudly feminists and we work for a fairer society.”

This has been expressed in the course of the act of handing over the Meninas 2025, a recognition to organizations, institutions and people committed to the eradication of violence against women promoted by the Government Delegation for Gender Violence of the Ministry of Equality. The event, held today in Civican, is part of the commemoration, on 25 November, of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Government delegate in Navarre has thanked the recognized entities for their work. “You have in your hands the power to transform the world,” he said, and he has valued his work in an education in equality and respect, in the care of women who suffer violence, and in the creation of support networks and resources to prevent, sensitize and raise awareness about male violence.

A task, he said, in which the Government of Spain works “actively and intensively”. Echeverría has highlighted some milestones this year such as the implementation of VioGén 2 and Protocol 2025, or the renewal of the State Pact against Gender Violence.

Meninas 2025

In this year’s edition, the CIP Huarte/Uharte IIP, Monday Lilas and the Network of Techniques of Equality of Local Entities of Navarre have been recognized.

The CIP Huarte/Uharte IIP is a publicly owned center with more than 40 years of history, and has been consolidated as a second chance space for many young people. His educational proposal is based on an inclusive, innovative and person-centred approach. But, at the same time, one of its fundamental values is the defence of effective equality of rights and opportunities between women and men, equal treatment and non-discrimination of people, as well as the promotion of good treatment, coexistence, prevention and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. To this end, the institute has counsellors who carry out activities that promote awareness of gender violence and egalitarian values. It also gives workshops included in the Master Plan for Coexistence and the Improvement of School Security on issues such as the prevention of violence against women, cyberviolence, addiction to pornography or the construction of healthy and egalitarian affective relationships.

Another of the Meninas has been for the association “Monday Lilas”. It was born in 2008 as an initiative linked to the veteran feminist association Andrea, which had been caring for women victims of male violence for more than 30 years. By promoting monthly rallies in the Plaza del Castillo, they became a symbol of the demand for justice and the visibility of violence against women. They have mobilized in the face of relevant situations such as the murder of Nagore Laffage or the case of “the pack”. In addition, they promote gender equality training for both professionals and the general public, and actively collaborate in the Women's House of Pamplona by organizing activities aimed at women victims of any type of violence. They also participate in networks such as COMPI (the Coordinating Body of Women’s Organizations for Participation and Equality); the Istanbul Platform; or the Anti-Poverty Network.

Finally, the Network of Techniques of Equality of Local Entities of Navarre has received a Menina. It is a technical group that brings together the people who are responsible for promoting equality policies in the municipalities of Navarre, and which is focused on advising and promoting measures with a gender perspective at the local level. Since 2018, following the assumption by local entities of competence in the prevention of gender violence, this professional body has assumed multiple functions in this field, such as the design of municipal policies, the dissemination of awareness and sensitization campaigns, or the implementation and management of the resources offered to women who are in contexts of violence. The Network coordinates the activities that develop the techniques of equality in the local entities in which they are present, and is part of the working group for the creation of a Network of Local Entities for Equality between Women and Men and against male violence in the Foral Community.

Along with the three Meninas, Jesús González, of the National Police, Óscar Silva, of the Civil Guard, Cristina Eseverri, of the Foral Police, and Ángel Azanza, of the Municipal Police of Pamplona, have been recognized this year for their “personal and professional commitment to the eradication of gender violence.”