Imkaan and The Project mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The Pacific Islands Safety and Prevention Project and Imkaan, a UK-based, black feminist organisation dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls, are marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with Purple Butterflies. Imkaan and The Project say:

"The 25th November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

"This date was chosen by the United Nations in honour of the Mirabal sisters, three political activists, assassinated on 25 November 1960 by order of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961). The assassination of the Mirabal sisters propelled the anti-Trujillo movement and within a year, the Trujillo dictatorship came to an end.

"The sisters, referred to as the 'Inolvidables Mariposas', the 'Unforgettable Butterflies', have become a symbol of freedom and inspiration for many feminist activists seeking to challenge inequality and injustice. For many of us working to eliminate violence against women and girls, the 25th of November is a day for us to come together to reflect, raise our voices and honour women’s activism, our sacrifices and our survival.

"Yet as time has progressed, the 25th of November has been rebranded and mainstreamed in such a way that the activism of the Mirabal sisters is often absent from awareness-raising and publicity campaigns. Increasingly the 25th of November has become associated with individual campaigns, such as the White Ribbon Campaign, rather than being identified as  International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

"This year, Imkaan has come together with the Pacific Islands Safety and Prevention Project (The Project) in Aotearoa (New Zealand) to reiterate our call for equality and for the elimination of violence against women and girls. We have chosen to use Purple Butterflies as the symbol of this collaboration.

"Purple Butterflies commemorates the lives and activism of the Mirabal sisters, the 'Inolvidables Mariposas', honours women’s activism and raises the voices of the black feminist movement. 

"The butterfly is a symbol of transformation and metamorphosis and for us represents the possibility of change – a reminder that we can all create a different world."