Enough

Meet Danna from Bolivia

Danna is one of the first female skateboarders in La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia. She became a skateboarder despite objections that the sport was not appropriate for girls. Bolivia, like much of Latin America, remains a very sexist society. Levels of violence against women have reached frightening levels, causing the death of more than 100 women last year. This violence takes root in the common belief that women are less than men, unequal in capabilities and unequal in the rights they enjoy. For Danna, the link is clear, controlling what women can and can´t do, is a first step which can lead to other forms of violence.

I remember walking through a city park as a girl with my mother. I told her “Look mum, I want to try that!” I was already imagining myself riding the skateboard, doing tricks. Yet my mother didn’t think this was appropriate, she said “Where do you see girls? There are no girls here!”

I couldn’t settle for this and when I was 18 the first skate park was built in my city. I built up my courage and asked the boys in the park if I could have a try on a skateboard. I thought they would laugh at me. But instead, they let me use their skateboards and encouraged me to follow my dream.

Meet Maria from Guatemala.

Maria Morales Jorge, a 52 year old Mayan-K’iché who grew up in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, was taught that a woman’s place was in the home, and that only men should be educated and go out to work. She knew this wasn’t right. In spite of the challenges and discrimination, as well as threats to her personal safety, she is determined to change what’s normal and encourages other indigenous women to join her.

“Indigenous people, particularly women, have suffered some of the worst political violence in Guatemala’s recent history. Despite the civil war being over, we still face violence in our daily lives.

I wasn’t able to have a formal education – school was too far and dangerous to get to, the education system suppressed indigenous languages and cultures, and my family believed that sending daughters to school would undermine our culture. So I was just taught how to weave and look after the home.

Meet Komal from India.

Despite her young age, Komal from Uttar Pradesh in northern India, has already faced a lifetime of discrimination. But she’s determined to use sport to show her strength, and is literally fighting for gender equality. By challenging the belief that girls are worth less than boys, Komal is also addressing one of the root causes of violence against women and girls.

“Right from childhood, girls like me are taught to accept that men and boys are superior to them. In my district we aren’t allowed to be educated like boys. Instead our role is to take care of younger siblings and household chores - training us for our main role, as a wife. Once married, most girls around here face domestic violence as we’re just not seen as equal.

I saw wrestling as an opportunity to make my parents proud - and to show my strength as a girl. I knew my family and I would face discrimination - but I think all girls should get the same opportunities to participate in sports as the boys.

Meet Cheper from Indonesia.

As a young boy, Cheper questioned why it was acceptable for his father to beat his mother. He’s now 30 and continues to works tirelessly alongside his wife to protect his daughter and all girls from violence in his community in eastern Indonesia.

“I believe everyone can make a difference - and I started with myself.

Growing up, my mother was often beaten by my father. From an early age, I couldn’t believe this was considered normal and was accepted by my community.

As I got older, I was under pressure from the village to marry a young girl. My wife and I got married when she was still in school. At that time, I did not realise that I had married a child - but now I regret marrying her at such a young age. I realise I’d crushed her dreams.

Meet Saida from Morocco.

After 10 years of marriage Saida* was left homeless when her husband imposed a second wife in the house. She now works to fight all forms of discrimination and violence against women in Morocco, supporting survivors to claim for their rights and to challenge what’s accepted as normal in their society.

“One day I woke up to find myself divorced, with no home, no work - nothing.

In Morocco, violence against women and girls exists in many different forms: physical, psychological, economic and legal - especially in the context of divorce. My husband made me get divorced because I did not accept that he was taking a second wife, and I was forced to leave my home. Neither the lawyer nor the judge helped me - they thought this was acceptable because in my country, despite the laws, mentalities change very slowly. Even those who should enforce laws don’t protect women and girls against the different types of violence.

Meet Nalishebo from Zambia.

Nalishebo Kashina is a 20 year old student at the University of Zambia who, alongside other women and men on campus, has decided enough is enough. They’ve come together to challenge the violence they see every day against female students – and are calling for us to all stand up and join them.

“In Zambia, the belief that men are superior to women has been accepted by society for a long time. This means that the sexual violence that female students face at my university is hard to challenge. Some men can feel they can do anything to us without any consequences. But a group of us - men and women - don’t think this is right, and we’re working to fight back.

Meet Danna from Bolivia

Danna is one of the first female skateboarders in La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia. She became a skateboarder despite objections that the sport was not appropriate for girls. Bolivia, like much of Latin America, remains a very sexist society. Levels of violence against women have reached frightening levels, causing the death of more than 100 women last year. This violence takes root in the common belief that women are less than men, unequal in capabilities and unequal in the rights they enjoy. For Danna, the link is clear, controlling what women can and can´t do, is a first step which can lead to other forms of violence.

I remember walking through a city park as a girl with my mother. I told her “Look mum, I want to try that!” I was already imagining myself riding the skateboard, doing tricks. Yet my mother didn’t think this was appropriate, she said “Where do you see girls? There are no girls here!”

I couldn’t settle for this and when I was 18 the first skate park was built in my city. I built up my courage and asked the boys in the park if I could have a try on a skateboard. I thought they would laugh at me. But instead, they let me use their skateboards and encouraged me to follow my dream.