Ms. Doris Solis Corrion This is Me

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1. 1. unifem.org

   unifem.org/gender_issues/voice - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/1/2003   Last Visited: 5/25/2008

   Doris Solis Carrion, Vice-Mayor of the City of Cuenca, Ecuador
   
   "Violence against women has always been at the core of my work," says Doris Solis Carrion."Six out of every ten women in Ecuador are victims of violence within their own households, and the cost of such violence is enormous: it impacts women, children and society as a whole.So from very early on it was clear to me that eliminating violence against women was the first step towards social development and poverty eradication in my country."
   
   Political activism has been a central feature in Doris Solis Carrion's life since early childhood.Born and raised in Cuenca, Ecuador's third-largest city, Ms Carrion and her eight brothers and sisters grew up in a household permeated by politics.Her father, a university professor, was active in a progressive political party; her mother was involved in the women's movement.There was hardly a family meal that did not involve passionate political discussions.So it was only natural that, from the age of 15, Ms Carrion became an activist herself, working with the indigenous population that constitutes 40 percent of her country's population and with the women's movement.
   
   "My activism is a combination of my father's interest in equality between the social classes and my mother's fight for women's empowerment," says Ms Carrion.
   
   For years Ms Carrion worked as executive director of the NGO SENDAS (which stands for Services for an Alternative Development in the South) and as co-founder of the Programme of Gender Studies at the University of Cuenca.
   
   Two years ago she became the first woman to be Vice Mayor of the municipality of Cuenca, where she has continued to advocate for women's rights.Ms Carrion was instrumental in instituting Cuenca's Equal Opportunities Plan, which provides for gender mainstreaming in all areas of Cuenca's public policy.The plan includes strengthening the system of social, legal and health services for battered women, implementing education and sensitization campaigns for law-enforcement agencies, and drafting municipal laws committing the local government to eradicating violence.
   
   As a result of a quota law that enabled larger numbers of Ecuadorian women to access political posts, the issue of violence against women received a much needed boost.
   
   "It took a lot of work just to create awareness of violence against women," explains Ms Carrion, "but by 1995 the issue was addressed by a national law which later became part of Ecuador's constitution."
   
   Despite this legal victory, Ms Carrion's struggle to eradicate violence against women is hardly over."The law is there, but implementation is weak," says Ms Carrion."Laws by themselves are not enough; what is needed is a comprehensive program to prevent and deal with the legal, psychological and health issues attached to violence."
   
   Throughout the last six years, Ms Carrion has been working tirelessly to put her country's laws into action.As a result of her efforts, the municipality of Cuenca established information and education programmes, psychological assistance projects, a hotline and a shelter for abused women.
   
   "Today we have an Assessment of Gender Inequalities, an Equal Opportunities Plan and a wide-ranging plan to prevent violence against women," says Ms Carrion."In addition, the first local law for the prevention of violence against women has been passed.This law makes it compulsory for the government to put in place campaigns and provide social and health assistance for battered women.This is a real commitment of funds and human resources to this issue."
   
   Though it is still too early to talk about statistics on decreasing violence against women, Ms. Carrion believes that all the necessary elements to curb its incidence are now in place.
   
   "Cuenca has policies, laws and institutional mechanisms that provide support for women who are victims of violence," she says."But just as important, Cuenca is giving its full support to women's empowerment and to the realization of their rights and aspirations.By doing so, it is building a more democratic society which can serve as an example for other regions in Ecuador."
   
   Doris Solis Carrion was a speaker at UNIFEM's event "Not a Minute More" to commemorate 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

2. 2. Feminist Salon - Feminist News and Opinion

   www.cwluherstory.org/phpweb/ar - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/2/2003   Last Visited: 8/3/2006

   by Doris Solis Carrion - Vice-Mayor of the City of Cuenca, Ecuador
   ...
   "Violence against women has always been at the core of my work," says Doris Solis Carrion. "Six out of every ten women in Ecuador are victims of violence within their own households and the cost of such violence is enormous: it impacts women, children and society as a whole. So from very early on it was clear to me that eliminating violence against women was the first step towards social development and poverty eradication in my country."
   
   "Violence against women has always been at the core of my work," says Doris Solis Carrion. "Six out of every ten women in Ecuador are victims of violence within their own households and the cost of such violence is enormous: it impacts women, children and society as a whole. So from very early on it was clear to me that eliminating violence against women was the first step towards social development and poverty eradication in my country."
   
   Political activism has been a central feature in Doris Solis Carrion's life since early childhood. Born and raised in Cuenca, Ecuador's third-largest city, Ms. Carrion and her eight brothers and sisters, grew up in a household permeated by politics. Her father, a university professor, was active in a progressive political party, her mother was involved in the women's movement. There was hardly a family meal that did not involve passionate political discussions. So it was only natural that, from the age of 15, Ms. Carrion became an activist herself, working with the indigenous population that constitutes 40 percent of her country's population and with the women's movement.
   
   "My activism is a combination of my father's interest in equality between the social classes and my mother's fight for women's empowerment," says Ms Carrion.
   
   For years Ms. Carrion worked as executive director of the NGO SENDAS (which stands for Services for an Alternative Development in the South) and as co-founder of the Programme of Gender Studies at the University of Cuena.
   
   Two years ago she became the first woman to be Vice Mayor of the municipality of Cuenca, where she has continued to advocate for women's rights. Ms. Carrion was instrumental in instituting Cuenca's Equal Opportunities Plan, which provides for gender mainstreaming in all areas of Cuenca's public policy.
   
   The plan includes strengthening the system of social, legal and health services for battered women, implementing education and sensitization campaigns for law-enforcement agencies, and drafting municipal laws committing the local government to eradicating violence.
   
   As a result of a quota law that enabled larger numbers of Ecuadorian women to access political posts, the issue of violence against women received a much needed boost.
   
   "It took a lot of work just to create awareness of violence against women," explains Ms. Carrion, "but by 1995 the issue was addressed by a national law which later became part of Ecuador's constitution."
   ...
   "The law is there, but implementation is weak," says Ms. Carrion.
   ...
   "Today we have an Assessment of Gender Inequalities, an Equal Opportunities Plan and a wide-ranging plan to prevent violence against women," says Ms. Carrion. "In addition, the first local law for the prevention of violence against women has been passed. This law makes it compulsory for the government put in place campaigns and provide social and health assistance for battered women. This is a real commitment of funds and human resources to this issue."
   
   Though it is still too early to talk about statistics on decreasing violence against women, Ms. Carrion believes that all the necessary elements to curb its incidence are now in place.
   
   "Cuenca has policies, laws and institutional mechanisms that provide support for women who are victims of violence," she says. "But just as important, Cuenca is giving its full support to women's empowerment and to the realization of their rights and aspirations. By doing so, it is building a more democratic society which can serve as an example for other regions in Ecuador."
   
   Doris Solis Carrion was a speaker at UNIFEM's event "Not a Minute More" to commemorate 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

3. 3. UNIFEM - Newsroom

   www.unifem.org/pressreleases.p - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/25/2002   Last Visited: 1/22/2005

   In Cuenca, Ecuador, Vice Mayor Doris Solis Corrion played an instrumental role in bringing the local government to help individual victims of gender violence and to create change throughout the municipality. With her leadership, Cuenca has developed an Equal Opportunities Plan to strengthen legal and health services for battered women, train law-enforcement personnel, and draft tough municipal laws to ensure women's human rights. As a co-founder of the program of gender studies at the University of Cuenca, Ms. Corrion described how the experience carries over to government.