Erika De Bonis

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The main street in The City of women will be forced to as the "Avenue of The Woman Warrior"

While in Colombia More Than half a century of armed conflict, the bloodshed between left-wing guerrilla groups, right-wing paramilitaries and the Country 's military, almost eight million people from their homes to flee.

women and Afro-Colombians, particularly in light of the increased violence in The Conflict , and would often in far-flung cities, with Anything and anyone.

to do In an impoverished neighborhood, in the sultry Coastal City of Cartagena, a group of displaced women who decided to something about it.

they formed The League of Displaced women, and in 2003 began to build their own community brick by brick: The City of women.

The City , in the nearby municipality of Turbaco, consists of 100 houses, The Women built with their own hands.

A sign that says "beware, machismo kills" stands in the centre of The City , in the vicinity of The 100 houses The Women built for themselves and their families.

were used While in Colombia, armed conflict, sexual violence and targeting of women, to sow fear. Many of The Women in The City are survivors of violence.

It provides a refuge for women and their families, the murders, rapes, threats, and other forms of violence, both in their homes and in their expulsion. All of the crimes against them go unpunished.

this battle has pushed them together and pushing them against Things such as Macho-behavior, societal norms and stigmas against the displaced are still prominent in much of the Country .

The Women say they are like sisters. "We protect each other, we care for each other," says leader Lubis Cardenas (center).

"had taken The War to our homes from us, he cut you out of your habits, your dreams, your Country . "

Consuelo Villega Mendoza, 44, is from a town in the Northern Region of Sucre, and was forced to flee after paramilitary troops massacred began the municipalities in the vicinity of their apartment.

"It was only a matter of time until it happens to you," She Said . "I left out of fear. "

With her daughter, she runs a restaurant out of the home she built. Prepare mondongo, a Colombian soup.

"a part of The League of displaced women has helped me a lot, because you have taught me to move on how. "

A plaque that read "La Ciudad de Mujeres", she says, that The Women are dreaming of A Life with dignity in the reality.

women in The City have been fighting to get justice for the crimes committed against them, but all of the 159 cases of gender-based violence and displacement that remain unsolved.

Alneris Orozco Caupo, 47, poses for a portrait in a mirror in your house, in The City of women. Originally from the North-Western region of Cesar, she was forced to flee with her two small children More Than 20 years ago because of the territorial conflict between the paramilitaries and the Farc rebels.

she proudly shows off photos of their children graduating from the High School and University, to reach something that she was never able, because of the violence.

Elvia Bautista, 53, from the region of Cordoba in Colombia, there is a small showing she has made of fibers from the plants by your house.

Before you forcibly expelled, they used to in order to weave great traditional Colombian sombreros, but the plants from her home in Cordoba, it is not in The Dry plains in the vicinity of Turbaco, so she does her best to weave and sell the small.

Erika Maria Gamarra Caro, 42, of El Carmen de Bolívar fled to Cartagena, after members of her family were murdered in massacres carried out by right-wing paramilitaries as they fought against the left-wing Farc rebels.

she says she has been sexually abused during their displacement, but The League has helped her to Recover .

Erika Maria Gamarra Caro, 42, (center) laughs during a meeting with other members of The League of Displaced women

"I realized that I was a woman and that I had rights and I began to expect it," She Said . "Well, I Am not a shy woman, I'm a woman, not able to speak because of fear or The Feeling that I as a woman am worth nothing. "

A sign with the inscription "peace" is in The Window of a house in The City of women.

During the construction of the houses, members of their community were killed, raped and threatened, but you say that your city stands as a symbol for peaceful resistance.

Carmen Beluas, 45, fled from their home in Copey in the late 1990s, after her husband was murdered by paramilitary forces, who accused them of being in connection with the guerrillas.

she left with their three children and arrived in Cartagena without having to know someone. She says she will always remember how her husband was taken.

"It is something that will never go back to normal. I know, I have my children, but there are still Things that I will never forget. "

Despite its name, The City of women, and male residents. The Women often the budget, created The City for your children and Partner live in and with the community grew, the members started their own families in The City of women.

The man and his son, the leader of Eidavis Montes care for your baby in The Living room of your house.

Seven-year-old Shayla Monterlaza, the granddaughter of a displaced woman, studies by the community to the school with your family.

The municipality is completely self-sufficient and has its own school, stores, restaurants, and community center for children, as Shayla .

The Names of The members of The League of Displaced women, and the drawings of the houses are written, on a multi-colored wall in The City of, community center

Eidavis Montes and colleagues from the community leader Lubis Cardenas say, The City has the role of women and Outlook on life changed.

"Often The Women in the Country are anxious, you are worried about The Children , tend to their husbands. If you don't know, something else, you're always going to be in this role," Eidavis Montes says.

"This is the life we have created, has taught me that I Am a woman with rights that we do other Things . "

As Colombia struggles to emerge from More Than a half-century of armed conflict, women in the town plan, to tell their stories and justice are looking for before the Country , the transitional court system.

"This is the life we have created, has taught me that I Am a woman with rights that we can still do other Things ," Ms Montes added.

Source of news: bbc.com