Resolution declaring November 25 as the “International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” in honor of the Mirabal sisters

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Res. No. 441 ..Title Resolution declaring November 25 as the “International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” in honor of the Mirabal sisters ..Body By Council Members Farías, De La Rosa, P. Sanchez, Brooks-Powers, Hudson, Louis and Restler Whereas, Women's rights activists have observed November 25 as a day against gender-based violence since 1981 in honor the Mirabal sisters, Minerva, María Teresa, and Patria; and Whereas, The Mirabal sisters were three political activists from the Dominican Republic who under the code name “Mariposa” (Butterfly), became leaders in the anti-Trujullo resistance movement and were ultimately assassinated by the Trujillo government in response to their activism; and Whereas, Upon their deaths, surviving sister Dedé strove to document and get the word out about what happened, and the Mirabal sisters became international symbols of resistance and the rights of women and girls; and Whereas, The sisters’ lives became a clarion call to others to reject human rights violations, corruption, and dictatorships; and Whereas, On February 7, 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 54/134, officially designating November 25 as the International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women as violence against women and girls remains a pervasive problem worldwide; and Whereas, In New York City, violence against women remains a critical safety issue with the 2025 New York City Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee reporting that females account for the majority, 57.4%, of all domestic violence homicide victims and 78.6% of intimate partner homicide victims; and Whereas, Black women represented the largest victim group, comprising 33.7% of all intimate partner homicides despite accounting for only 13% of the New York City population; and Whereas, The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually to raise awareness about the pervasive issue of violence against women and girls and calls for governments, organizations, and individuals to take action against gender-based violence; and Whereas, Designating the day in NYC puts a spotlight on the prevalence of gender-based violence in the city, and reaffirms the city’s commitment to make the city a safer place for all people; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York declares November 25 as the “International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” in honor of the Mirabal sisters. KS LS 22720 4/23/2026 3:20 PM

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