Eufrosina Cruz facts for kids

Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza (born January 1, 1979) is an amazing leader from a Zapotec village in Oaxaca, Mexico. She works hard to make sure everyone, especially indigenous women and communities, has equal rights. Eufrosina is known for fighting for fairness and for giving a voice to people who haven't always had one.

In November 2010, she made history by becoming the first indigenous woman to lead the local congress in Oaxaca. She was a deputy for the National Action Party (PAN). Later that year, she also became a coordinator for indigenous affairs within the PAN party. Eufrosina also started an organization called QUIEGO. This group helps promote equality for everyone in Oaxaca.

Eufrosina's journey to fight for equal rights began when she was not allowed to run in an election in her hometown. The reason? She was a woman. This was based on old local traditions called usos y costumbres. Because of Eufrosina's brave fight, the laws were changed. Now, women have equal voting rights in Oaxaca. On October 3, 2008, she received a special award, the National Youth Award, for her work in politics. This award was given to her by the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón.

In June 2018, Eufrosina left the PAN party. This happened because she disagreed with their choice for president that year.

Eufrosina's Early Life and Goals

Eufrosina Cruz grew up in a small Zapotec village called Santa María Quiegolani in Oaxaca, Mexico. The main language there is Zapotec. Her early life was like many other Zapotec women. She woke up very early, gathered wood, ground corn, and made tortillas. She also took care of children and cleaned the house. Many girls in these villages didn't get to finish school. They often married young, chosen by their fathers.

When she was 11, Eufrosina decided she wanted a different life. She left her village to study and learn Spanish. She dreamed of a better future. She also wanted to help other women who faced unfair treatment. Eufrosina went to college and became an accountant. She then got a job teaching in poor communities. She helped start three high schools in indigenous towns. After this, she returned to her home village. She hoped to make a difference for the women there.

When she came back, things were still the same. Women worked very hard but did not have equal rights. They were expected to be quiet when men were around. Women could not vote or help make decisions for their community. Even so, Eufrosina decided to run for mayor of Santa María Quiegolani. This was a huge step. Traditionally, only men held political power in the village. Eufrosina would have been the first female mayor. It was a tough fight. Many people did not want a woman in government. They spread rumors, made fun of her, and even threatened her.

Understanding Usos y Costumbres Law

In 2007, Eufrosina was finally allowed to be in the election. The leaders thought no one would vote for a woman. But to everyone's surprise, Eufrosina Cruz won! However, the male leaders of the village did not accept her victory. They canceled the election. They said that votes for Eufrosina were not valid. The former mayor even said, "women do not exist here" and "women were created to serve men, to cook and care for children, but not to govern."

The local leaders said their reasons were based on old traditions. These traditions said women could not hold political jobs. This was allowed because of a special law in Oaxaca called usos y costumbres (uses and customs). This law lets indigenous communities choose their leaders based on their own traditions. Oaxaca is the only state with this law. It is meant to respect the democratic ways of indigenous communities. It also protects their traditions. In these cases, the local community's rules can be stronger than the state's laws. Out of 570 indigenous towns in Oaxaca, 418 use this law. In 95 of these communities, women could not vote or make decisions.

Eufrosina's Achievements

Eufrosina Cruz did not give up. She reached out to groups that protect human rights and to state leaders. Her situation was taken seriously. She became known across the country. Because of her efforts, on January 18, 2008, a former governor visited her small community. He demanded that women should have better lives.

In February 2008, Cruz filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. The Commission agreed that her rights had been violated. As a result, the government worked to change a part of the state constitution. This change was approved by the state congress. Since September 21, 2009, the Constitution of Oaxaca has a new rule. It says that the law must protect democratic practices in all communities. It must also make sure women can fully participate in elections. This includes their right to vote and be voted for, equally with men. Breaking this rule will be punished.

• In March 2008, Eufrosina Cruz started and became the director of QUIEGO, A.C. (more about this below).
• On October 3, 2008, Eufrosina Cruz received the National Youth Award. This award was for her work in political culture. The President of Mexico gave her this honor.
• Cruz represented Mexico at important meetings about gender equality and development.
• She also represented Mexico at conferences for female leaders in Latin America.

About QUIEGO, A.C.

In March 2008, Eufrosina Cruz founded a non-profit group called QUIEGO. The full name means "We want to unite, integrating for equality and gender in Oaxaca." The main goal of QUIEGO is to bring attention to the challenges faced by indigenous women. They want to make sure that unfair situations, like what Eufrosina experienced, do not happen again.

QUIEGO believes in equality between indigenous men and women. They want women to have equal rights in development, progress, and education. They work to achieve this by:

• Promoting human rights.
• Showing how important freedom and being a woman are.
• Creating projects to improve women's lives.
• Holding workshops about women's rights.

This work helps not only Quiegolani but also other indigenous communities in Oaxaca.

• On December 6, 2008, QUIEGO held the first meeting of its kind in the region. They discussed how important women are in community development. They also talked about women's right to access social programs.
• Soon after this meeting, a government department helped them. They supported six projects just for women. These included a community pharmacy, a bakery, and a sewing project.
• In another village, San Jose Quianitas, women were able to vote and run in elections months later.
• In November 2010, Eufrosina Cruz and QUIEGO held another successful meeting. It was about the freedom of indigenous women.

In 2009, several political parties asked Eufrosina to run in elections for the national congress. She turned down these offers. Instead, she urged the parties to create ways for women to participate in towns governed by tradition.

In November 2010, Eufrosina Cruz was chosen to be a candidate for deputy in the local congress for the PAN party. When Gabino Cué Monteagudo won the elections, Eufrosina was elected to lead the local congress. She became the first indigenous woman to hold this important position in Oaxaca. On December 14 of the same year, Eufrosina was appointed to coordinate indigenous affairs for the PAN party's national committee.

See also

In Spanish: Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza para niños