Lady Alejandra Vera is a lawyer, defender of women’s rights and candidate for a master’s degree in family studies from Simón Bolívar University. Ms. Vera is the founder and executive director of Corporación Mujer and co-partner of the Oriéntame Colombia Foundation. An expert in sexual and reproductive rights and a consultant on gender-based violence, she has carried out investigative actions with the Complutense University of Madrid and the National University of Colombia.
Lady has extensive experience in coeducation and prevention of sexual violence with girls, boys and adolescents. She is proficient in the accompaniment, documentation and collective denunciation of women victims of sexual violence within the Colombian armed conflict. She actively promotes the sexual and reproductive rights of Colombian girls, women, migrants and refugees on the North Santander border.
The project created a network of leaders to share the knowledge they acquired during their IVLP experience and share the models used in the United States to prevent, call attention to, and punish violence against women. The project promoted awareness towards violence against women in Colombian society, especially in border areas, through a collaborative effort with 125 women leaders, local institutions, and civil society organizations. Activities included training workshops, educational talks, dissemination and awareness campaigns, and the creation of support networks for victims of violence.
Lady Alejandra also participated in a panel discussion with other Awardees who implemented both 2022 and 2023 IIA projects as part of the IVLP Impact Awards Alumni Discussion Series panel on “Sustainable Community Impact,” which you can read more about here.
This project educated 120 women leaders (in-person and virtually) in the cities of Popayán, Villavicencio, Neiva, Barranquilla and Cúcuta about social contexts, structural problems and actions in the fight against gender-based violence. Six workshops were organized across Colombia. Participants engaged in a round-table discussion where they recounted their personal experiences with gender-based violence and the lack of legal protection in the country. Participants learned how to report acts of violence or instances where a woman could be a victim of gender-based violence. A network was created to support future action to eliminate violence against women.
Lady Alejandra participated in the IVLP Project Ending Gender-Based Violence in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center. She also participated in the IVLP Project Ending Gender-Based Violence in 2022, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360.
Lady Alejandra's exchange experience led her to develop her IVLP Impact Award Project: "The IVLP [exchange experience] inspired [me] to continue working for the prevention of and attention to all forms of violence that are experienced, especially in border areas. Winning the [2022] award has [had] a huge impact in continuing to seek the eradication of violence in the world."
Phoenix, AZ; Washington, DC; Jacksonville, FL; Manchester, NH
Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, DC; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Raleigh, NC
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