And you, Do you Agree with me?
A feminism grounded in lived experience, intersectionality, and the transformative power of collective action for substantive equality.
From my professional trajectory—spanning more than 25 years of working alongside women in deeply adverse social contexts, consistently protecting their rights and promoting their full and effective enjoyment in both public and private spheres—I want to say this: the feminism I defend is born from lived reality, not from theory.
It is born from accompanying women who have endured structural violence, imposed silence, and normalized inequality. It is shaped by listening to stories of exclusion, but also of resilience, leadership, and transformation. From that place, I affirm with conviction: we are full subjects of rights, and our dignity is non-negotiable.
The feminism I stand for is an ethical commitment to substantive equality. It does not settle for rights written on paper; it demands real guarantees for the effective exercise of our economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights. It defends our autonomy, our freedom of choice, and our active participation in shaping society.
I reject the notion that women should be recognized only through traditional roles. We are caregivers if we choose to be, but we are also strategists, leaders, professionals, knowledge creators, and peacebuilders. We are firm, yet deeply empathetic—because firmness without empathy is cruelty, and empathy with firmness is transformative leadership.
This feminism does not create enemies; it builds alliances. It recognizes that shared responsibility with men is essential to achieving sustainable structural change. Equality is not a competition; it is a collective project.
I defend a feminism grounded in an intersectional and differentiated approach—one that understands women are not a homogeneous group and that discrimination intersects in complex ways. It is a feminism guided by the principle of “do no harm,” one that does not reproduce violence or revictimize, but instead educates, empowers, and inspires.
I believe in a feminism that protects girls, expands opportunities, and breaks invisible barriers without tearing apart the social fabric. A feminism that confronts all forms of violence—physical, psychological, economic, and symbolic—and understands that ignorance remains one of the most powerful tools of oppression.
The feminism I defend transforms without dividing, uplifts without excluding, and advocates without harming. It improves the quality of life of women in every corner of the world, regardless of religion, race, ideology, or social condition.
Because when we guarantee women’s rights, we strengthen democracy, consolidate peace, and secure a more just future for the generations to come.
Yolima Vélez
Activist and Global Opinion Leader on Women’s Rights
