Translated by Tlaxcala
“ ‘Anon’ was often a woman.”
– Virginia Woolf
In
Colombia’s history and political participation, it is men’s discourse, voices,
and faces that stand out. The portraits, names, and texts we learn in school
mostly belong to men. As if they alone had built the country. Yet, when looking
at towns, neighborhoods, and villages, another reality emerges: a country
sustained by the silent, persistent labor of women whose contribution is not
acknowledged in history.
How is
it possible that millions of women are at the forefront of social and community
work, yet have so little representation in the highest decision-making posts?
In this
article, I aim to critically analyze the causes of this great contradiction and
highlight that it is time to transform the role of women in the country’s
history.
The
contrast between women’s broad participation in grassroots social leadership
and their scarce presence in political power positions is striking. In
municipalities like Bello, nearly 80% of Community Action Board presidencies
are held by women, many with decades of voluntary work. Yet, this participation
collapses when it comes to formal politics: in municipal councils it reaches
only 15–20%.
