- The delegate of the Government has delivered the ‘Menina Basque Country Awards’ in the Azkuna Zentroa of Bilbao to the association Marrien Alabak, to the Department of Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and to the official Begoña García Arberas
The delegate of the Government in the Basque Country, Marisol Garmendia, today presided over the presentation of the ‘Menina Basque Country Awards’ at an event held in the Azkuna Zentroa of Bilbao in which the work carried out in the fight against gender violence by the association Mariren Alabak, the Department of Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia headed by the deputy Teresa Lasword and the recently retired official Begoña García Arberas, has been awarded.
This event promoted by the Ministry of Equality has been held for eight years and is the culmination of the Purple Autumn campaign launched by the Government Delegation in the Basque Country in recent months to raise awareness in the fight against Gender Violence around the International Day of Violence against Women, which is commemorated on November 25. The Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, has addressed the attendees in a video apologising for her absence due to problems of agenda although expressing her congratulations to the winners and reaffirming the firm commitment of the Government of Spain, “a deeply feminist Government”, in the fight against male violence “in which important steps have been taken although there is still a long way to go”. Redondo has also remembered the 40 women murdered so far this year, one of them in the Basque Country.
For her part, Marisol Garmendia has expressed her concern about the fact that “the younger generations are replicating machista behaviors and thoughts typical of dark barbaric times. And this has to worry us and occupy us.” Garmendia has expressed her concern because “education in the civic and democratic values of intrinsic equality of human beings, whether man, woman or whatever you want to be; of respect for people, human rights and non-violence as pillars of coexistence, are inalienable values that we are not able to inculcate to our youth, apparently neither at home nor in school nor through the media or social networks.”
The government delegate has appealed for individual and collective responsibility in the fight against gender violence. “In this daily, daily struggle that we fight for equality, for the dignity of women, each of us is responsible for what we do and what we say, what we do not do and what we do not say. In our homes, our schools and universities, our work, in the bars, in the sports clubs, in the txokos… The commitment against gender violence is not just about women. It’s a struggle he doesn’t understand about the sexes. A common struggle, a commitment shared by all people, regardless of gender, origin or economic and social status.”
Garmendia has defended the work against male violence of the government he represents. “It is a government with a firm, courageous commitment, in favor of women, of feminism, of helping the victims of male violence. Not all governments are; not all rulers are; not all political parties are.” In this sense, he has recriminated the existence of parties and governments that deny the reality of the deaths caused by male violence. “There are right-wing and far-right parties, governments and rulers that deny this reality: male violence kills. This year, he has killed 40 women in Spain. It’s not domestic violence, it’s not a fight between husband and wife… You have to call things by their name: It’s male violence. And we have to say it loud and clear. And fight it just as forcefully and clearly.”
In contrast to these macho attitudes, Marisol Garmendia has highlighted the work of the winners because, “in the face of this populism and negationism, there are other ways to live and feel the equal rights and opportunities between men and women; to fight and work for the dignity of women and to help the most vulnerable victims. But you have to have the courage, the strength, the determination and the ethical and political commitment to do so. Compromiso personal, colectivo e institucional como el que demuestran nuestras premiadas de hoy.
“You, from your position as an official of the General Administration of the State, Begoña; your association of volunteers Mariren Alabak; your department of Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality of the Provincial Council of Biscay, Teresa, are our eyes, our ears, our hands and our heart to see, listen, embrace and help women victims of male violence. To each of them, to all of you who welcome, accompany, heal and empower, restoring their self-esteem and dignity so that they can professionally and personally rebuild their broken lives,” said the Delegate of the Government.
Garmendia has stressed the merits of the winners in this edition of the Menina Awards. “Your daily work, here in the Basque Country, in Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, at street level, with so many shattered women, many of them with daughters and sons suffering with their mothers, reconciles us with the best of the human condition, with the best of public service that defends the most vulnerable people and groups, with the force of volunteering and community action. In short, it makes us believe in hope and in the transforming power of solidarity.”
Menina Awards 2024 Basque Country
Menina recognition to the Basque social collective: Mariren Alabak
Mariren Alabak is a non-profit association, formed by volunteers and professionals all women. This project offers a free service of comprehensive and permanent accompaniment; and empowerment of women victims of gender violence from an intersectional perspective, considering the multiple ways in which violence can manifest itself. In addition, it stands out for its innovative approach that continues to grow and expand its services and resources, with a comprehensive and personalized approach, whose objective is to build a network in which the victim of male violence can feel safe. During the year 2023, guidance and job training have been initiated for female victims who are part of this association. It has personnel specialized in psychology and with professional experience in the care of victims of male violence and with experts in legal advice to accompany and advise during the judicial process if there is one and to how many institutions it is necessary to go to. Their work of solidarity, strength and resilience is critical, and their positive impact on the community is undeniable.
Menina recognition to the project or outstanding public initiative: Department of Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality of the Provincial Council of Biscay
The Department of Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality of the Provincial Council of Biscay has as its mission the design and implementation of public policies favouring social cohesion in Biscay, starting from the universal and transversal principles of equality, equity, solidarity and sustainable development. To address male violence, the Department of Employment,
Social Cohesion and Equality raises a main objective: to prevent violence against women. And it responds with an enormous deployment of resources to an urgent objective: to comprehensively attend to the women who still today continue to suffer this violence, offering professional support and spaces for protection, healing and recovery.
In the area of care for women victims of violence, they are provided with the necessary residential and housing facilities and support, with multidisciplinary community care services, as well as specialized psychological care and the necessary legal advice. And all this taking into account the particularities of each of them, with special attention to the children victims of male violence.
The last service launched by the Department has been the comprehensive care service for victims of sexual violence, which develops care in crisis situations, supports comprehensive recovery and serves, informs and advises the general public. This service has two offices in Bilbao and 24 hours a day care during all the days of the year.
Menina recognition to the Basque person: Begoña García Arberas
Begoña García Arberas has a degree in Geography and History and has been a career civil servant in the Social Security Administration since 1983. After forty-one years of public service he retired on June 14 of this same year and his recognition is his pioneering work and his value in the fight against gender violence. In 2007 she was appointed head of the newly created Unit against Gender Violence in the Government Subdelegation in Bizkaia, in charge of collecting all the data that the Government Delegation against Gender Violence requires for the performance of its functions. He has also been in charge of relations with the FCSE and the PAV, as well as the state, regional and local bodies involved in the fight against gender violence in the CAPV. It has left an important legacy for new additions and generations in this field of equality and the fight against gender violence.