Chapter 21

The Group of Women of Matagalpa: An Organization of Decided Women
By Julia Velasco Parisaca

Thirty-four women are contributing to cultural transformation in the northern region of Nicaragua, where inequity has the face of women. Their proposal is to promote, educate and communicate from the perspective of women living in poverty.

The Colectivo de Mujeres de Matagalpa (CMM) (women’s collective of Matagalpa) is one of the women empowerment experiences in Latin America. This organization is one of the most important social actors and with more political effect in that region of Nicaragua. It was born in the 80s, during the Sandinista Revolution process, with the mission to influence the social transformation respecting human rights, particularly of women, girls and boys, and promoting freedom, justice, respect and equity practices.

The task was not easy as a result of the economic, political and social marginality suffered by women, in a society that characterizes by itself for a machista culture that sends the women to the reproductive function and victimizes them with physical, psychological and sexual violence.

This is the context for CMM’s work, to have an influence in society, through programs on health, creative education, prevention of violence, theatre and Radio Stéreo Vos (FM 101.7), the community radio and a member of AMARC.

The women of CMM work with a feminine perspective, an integral perspective that recalls the rights, the essence, the bodies, the protagonist role, the contribution and the dreams and hopes of women to be recognized, valued and respected as such.

“The empowerment comes from capacity building and the possibility of taking decisions, as well as proposing with solid arguments, well grounded,” says Argentina Olivas, CMM member and coordinator from the communication program that is responsible for managing Radio Stéreo Vos (FM 101.7).

In a moralist society, full of prohibitions, prejudgements and discrimination against women, CMM, through radio, has contributed to putting in the public agenda themes such as family violence, abortion and sexual and reproductive rights. It is one of the few institutions that dares to openly address these themes and from a gender perspective.

Radio has given visibility to the CMM, to women, girls and boys, adolescents and youth through participatory programs, including debates and analysis, as well as of information, where they have an opportunity to speak and make their opinions heard.

Radio programs such “Now I can speak” (“Y ahora yo tengo la palabra”), are directed to women in the region, treating themes that deal with the role played by women in society as well as their contributions to the community and to the country, promoting the participation of women in social development.

In another program “Forbidden to listen to us” (“Prohibido escucharnos”), produced by a team of youth and adolescents, themes that are considered taboo, such as sexual and reproductive rights, adolescent pregnancy, abortion and marriage, are debated and analyzed.

In “The bizarre kingdom” (“El reino al revés”), a program produced by girls, boys and adolescents, they treat subjects of their interest and from the way they understand reality, themes ranging from the mistreatment of children to the importance of parental love.

Aside from these radio programs, the communication area of CMM, build the capacity of women, girls, boys, adolescents and youth in areas such as radio production, correspondent or radio formats.

Furthermore, the radio productions are an added value to the education processes and peoples’ communication being implemented by CMM, for they contribute to the reflection, the discussion and the analysis in working groups, during the activities of capacity building, of training that are implemented by CMM’S diverse programs, such as in the areas of law, health and education.

Radio Stéreo Vos was internationally recognized in November 2002, when it won the Latin American competition of radio productions on family violence, organized by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) with the radio program “Better alone than badly accompanied” (“Mejor sola que mal acompañada”).

CMM represents the hope for social change to many women in Nicaragua and Latin America, because they represent the efforts and the compromise of many women who contribute to the construction of a society more fair, respectful and democratic, with equal opportunities for women.