The Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly (ANC) reaffirmed the importance of gender rights and equality in constructing the Bolivarian Revolution, looking to build on the gains of the last 18 years in the drafting of a new constitution.
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In a decree establishing a commission to draft the constitutional chapter on Women, Equity, and Gender Equality, the Constituent Assembly leaders linked the struggle against machismo to the movement against capitalism, and underscored the need to create political spaces for gender equality struggles.
“Machismo is a retrograde capitalist culture that affects both women and men alike, that denies diversity and integration and legitimizes relations of domination between people,” the decree said.
Las mujeres toman la @ANC_ve y visten de igualdad, amor y futuro sede de poder constituyente originario! En min sesión sobre Capítulo Mujer pic.twitter.com/XDE7JTX5O7
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) September 28, 2017
The assembly called on all Venezuelans, and particularly feminist organizations and social movements, to “participate in the collective construction of the Women, Equity and Gender Equality chapter” of what will be the new Constitution.
According to the decree, the assembly will have a “gender and feminist focus” in order to push toward “a new productive and diverse social-economic model that promotes the construction of new relationships of production in socialism.
#AHORA | Marelys Marcano: Sin igualdad de género no hay Revolución. pic.twitter.com/0zk2lwlpEx
— ANTV VENEZUELA (@ANTV_VENEZUELA) September 28, 2017
"Without gender equality there is no revolution."
The assembly also declared that every October 25th would be the “Day of Socialist Feminism,” in Venezuela.
“The Bolivarian Revolution is the first to raise the flag of feminism; no other leader in the world has dared to say 'I am feminist.' The first was Hugo Chavez Frias, and this shows a great deal about the character of the revolution,” Blanca Eekhout, the Minister of Popular Power for Women and Gender Equality said at the session.
"Un verdadero Socialista, debe ser FEMINISTA!!! " Hugo Chávez #ConstituyenteMujer @DrodriguezVen pic.twitter.com/DFzX1DAPlw
— Angelo Rivas (@AngeloRivasVen) September 28, 2017
"A true socialist must be FEMINIST!!!" Hugo Chavez
“The Revolution is a sanctuary for women and feminism. Venezuela is feminist.... Venezuela is feminist because it confronts global inequality,” the President of the National Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez said.
Beysimar Perez, a constituent assembly member, recalled the efforts of the late president Hugo Chavez to develop societal and political spaces for Venezuelan women to participate, such as the programs Soy Mujer (I am a woman), and Banco para la Mujer (Women's Bank).
“It is us Venezuelan women who build the revolution, the country, and the popular economy,” Perez said.
Erradiquemos de la patria de Bolivar y a Chávez toda forma de discriminación hacia mujer y el hombre unidos somos invencibles !!!! pic.twitter.com/OXAe35cX63
— Maria Leon (@MariaLeonaPSUV) September 28, 2017
"We eradicate from the country of Bolivar and Chavez every form of discrimination against women, and united we are invincible!!!"