The morning sun beats down on Medellín, and a group of women banging on drums and chanting with joy whilst making their way up one of the city’s main streets, Paseo de la Playa, drowns out the noise of the rush hour. They were coming from the Civil Registry office where they had just successfully registered their list of candidates for the local council elections that will take place on the 27th of October across the country, so they had every reason to celebrate.

Their name is ‘Estamos Listas’ (we’re ready), and they are about to make history in Colombia as the first ever women’s political movement created with the intention of launching female candidates for elections and tackling the issue of gender disparity in the political sphere. The 41,948 signatures presented to the Civil Registry were the fruits of the voluntary work of more than 1000 women and allies of the movement who took to the streets of one of the most conservative cities of Colombia to express the need for an inclusive political agenda over the past months.

Based on the principles of female solidarity, collective action and the defence of women’s rights, Estamos Listas is a movement of women that come from every corner of Medellín, and that prides itself on inclusiveness regardless of whether a woman defines herself as feminist or not.

This strategy has allowed them to overcome some of the barriers encountered in a society where the concept of feminism continues to be stigmatized and often seen as a distant, stigmatised ideology to many. Their focus on inclusion has also opened up the movement to male allies, who in their shared beliefs of gender equality and women’s rights, have supported their mothers, sisters, friends and partners in trying to make Medellín a more equitable place.

As the city that became infamous for voting no to the peace agreements in the 2016 nationwide referendum with 62.97% voting against the accords and only 37.02% in favour, Medellín has struggled to shed its reputation as the conservative capital of Colombia.

However, where injustice exists, so does the bravery of those willing to fight against it, and these women from ‘Estamos Listas’ are prepared to do what it takes for women’s issues to finally take centre stage in the local political agenda.

Lina Mondragon Perez, activist and group coordinator