The Feminist Network of Gran Canaria has expressed its “strongest rejection” of the decision of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to set the Grand Carnival Parade 2025 on March 8coinciding with International Women’s Day.
“We consider that this decision represents a disrespect for women, the feminist movement and, in general, towards a society that fights for real and effective equality. For the group, this is “another example of the city council’s disinterest in feminist policies and women’s rights,” the Network’s spokespeople said.
8M is a key date globally, during which feminist groups work to make visible the structural inequalities between men and women and encourage social participation and involvement. The coincidence of the to go upOne of the most popular and media-friendly events in the city, with this day of demands, distorts the impact and relevance of feminist demands. “We are forced to compete for attention and media appeals, instead of being able to count on the support of the city council to make visible the problems that affect women.”
This year is also particularly significant because celebrates its 50th anniversary of the first 8M demonstration in Spain, and the Feminist Network of Gran Canaria celebrates its 25th anniversary, they recalled. “Instead of accompanying and supporting these events, the City Council has decided relegate feminist struggles in favor of a festivity that could well have been organized on an alternative date, since the carnival includes almost a month and a half of activities.
The Feminist Network also denounces that “this is not the first time that we have been faced with decisions that belittle our demands.” In previous years, they have already suffered “the switching on of Christmas lights that coincides with November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and we have had to face obstacles on our demonstration routes, from fairs set up at key points, to the lack of police officers or permits not respected.
These actions “are the reflection of municipal management which has left aside equality policies and the rights of the almost 200,000 women who reside in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The city’s equality plan “has expired since 2021 and, although its evaluation began in the last months of 2024, we have not received information on the results”. Furthermore, the Women’s Council, a body that should serve as a space for support and citizen participation, “has barely functioned in recent years, and when it is convened, it does so at times incompatible with most groups”.
Added to this is what the Network calls an “alarming situation” of resources for women in the city. “Sexual assaults have increased, while health care services remain insufficient”The Women’s House, a fundamental center for supporting women victims of gender-based violence, is under-endowed and has been experiencing a serious staff shortage for years, particularly in the areas of legal advice and psychological support. “The few prevention and awareness-raising activities depend almost exclusively on social groups, without a comprehensive plan to promote equality by the department,” they said.
Faced with this reality, the Feminist Network of Gran Canaria says “enough! We will no longer tolerate any rudeness or indifference from the city council” and they demand that the city council “stop turning on purple lights and taking pictures on designated dates and that urgent steps are taken to ensure that women’s rights and feminist demands have the space and respect they deserve in this city.
