Orange Day in Holguin: Concrete Actions Against an Invisible Evil

On the 25th of each month, the province of Holguin turns orange to remind everyone that violence against women is not a distant problem. It is a reality that permeates homes, communities, and consciences. On this day, promoted by the United Nations’ “UNiTE” campaign. The eastern province implements a network of actions demonstrating that prevention is possible when there is institutional will and social commitment.

In Holguin, Orange Day is not merely a symbolic act. Various institutions, led by the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), organize conferences, workshops, and debates in schools and communities. With the aim of raising awareness about the many forms of gender-based violence.

Psychologist Martha Yanara Santos Velázquez, coordinator of the support team at the Women and Family Guidance Center in the provincial capital. She explained that these actions aim to promote available support services. Such as the Guidance Center itself, the 103 hotline, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Court, and the Police.

These support spaces are vital in a context where domestic violence in Holguin occurs daily and often goes unnoticed. Primarily affecting women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and minors. Physical, verbal, psychological, and emotional abuse leaves deep scars. In many cases, go unreported due to fear or feelings of guilt.

Also the institutional response in the province is strengthened by existing national legal frameworks. The approval of the National Program for the Advancement of Women (PAM) in 2021 and the Family Code in 2022 has laid the groundwork for a comprehensive prevention and support strategy. Of particular importance is the update to the Penal Code. Which establishes that in cases of violence, the police must continue the process even if the victim requests its suspension. Thus recognizing the complex emotional stages experienced by women in situations of abuse.

In Holguin, Orange Day is a call to transform the energy and hope that this color symbolizes into everyday actions. Also because the fight against violence is not just a one-day-a-month issue, but a shared responsibility of every family, every community, and every institution.

By: Daimy Peña Guillén

Radio Angulo
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