IDEVAW 2025
Confront the fascist state who is the main perpetrator of violence against women!
GABRIELA USA commemorates IDEVAW by calling on all Filipino women to join the people's mass movement to confront the fascist state who is the main perpetrator of violence against women! The International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women is a time for women to make an impact and globally to raise their militancy against the systems that oppress us and our families. In the Philippines, GABRIELA chapters are diligently organizing to uplift the conditions of women workers, peasants and the urban poor. They are constantly working with communities that are impacted by deadly environmental disasters, the rising prices of basic goods, low wages, lack of access to adequate healthcare, increasing militarization and the criminal state plunder and neglect that keeps our country impoverished. Through developing women workers and farmers associations, fighting against land grabbing and economic exploitation GABRIELA organizations are making a major contribution to the broad movement against the basic problems that are a parasite to our country: Imperialism, Bureaucrat Capitalism and Feudalism. These 3 Basic Problems can only be uprooted through the participation and organization of the masses of people.
Women in Detention
As of February 2025 there are 761 political prisoners in the Philippines, 157 of which are women. The trumped up charges and staged evidence are only a small example of the many ways the state has persecuted activists standing against violent repression. Additionally, we honor the struggles of women whose determination and strength have galvanized the public to call for their immediate release. We uplift the call to free Amanda Echanis, Frenchie Mae Cumpio and migrant workers like Mary Jane Veloso.
In the waging of the Defend Migrants Campaign and building the Tanggol Migrante Movement GABRIELA USA has developed the fights for Filipino women in detention. This year we campaigned for Alma, Ligaya, Aunty Lynn, Ate M, and many others who were unjustly taken away from their families. In many ways these women are political prisoners themselves, subjected to the fascist policies of the Trump administration and left behind by the Philippine government. We condemn the Philippine government's phony attempt to commemorate IDEVAW - the continued partnership with the violent US military, the slowness to address the corruption scandals and disaster relief and rehabilitation - in addition to threatening people's organizations like GABRIELA, it is clear their actions do not match their PR stunt.
To genuinely address VAW in the Philippines, it is only through the fight for genuine national liberation and to directly challenge the feudal-patriarchal culture rooted in an economy subservient to foreign exploiters. Our oppression as women is linked to the oppression of our country.
Women Rising Up
Our organizations have been alongside these women who are impacted - calling on the community to support through fundraising, alliance building and developing education and propaganda around their stories. It is through these efforts that we have been able to release some of these women from detention. Most recently, we celebrate Alma Bowman's release from Stewart ICE Detention Center in Georgia.
GABRIELA USA alongside the Malaya Movement and Tanggol Migrante are overjoyed with the recent news of Alma’s release. Last night Alma was freed from the facility and reunited with her family just in time for the holidays. This is a victory for Alma, her family and most importantly the people. It was through the relentless advocating, building with other organizations in solidarity and amplifying Alma’s story that kept her case at the forefront - these are efforts that we will continue to expand and escalate. Alma is a true example of what it means to serve the people, cry out against injustice and bring more into our ranks towards collective liberation. She was one of the main whistleblowers that called out inhumane medical malpractices in Irwin County Detention Center and even continued to support women who were detained by sharing her commissary and resources. We honor Alma through being committed in the fight for long term change.
It is the Clamor and Resistance of the people, of women, children and the LGBTQ community that will bring about genuine systemic change! We must call for the immediate reforms and changes to our conditions while never forgetting the overall objective to win National Democratic freedom for our people and our country!
Calls to Action:
Join us on November 30 and beyond to rise up against fascism and corruption!
Uplift Alma’s Story and join our Placard campaign, post photos sharing your statements of support for Alma and the call to end her deportation: tinyurl.com/25idevaw-gab
Meet with us to talk about ways you or your organization can join in the Movement Against Corruption in the Philippines
Join the Tanggol Migrante Alliance or Defend Migrants Alliance