Violence against women: 1,333 killed in Spain since 2003, with 61 in Malaga province

Four women have been murdered this year by their partners or ex-partners in Malaga province. Since 2003, when fatalities from gender-based violence began to be recorded, the figure in the province has risen to 61. Across Spain as a whole, 38 women have been murdered this year, and 1,333 have had their lives cut short by gender-based violence in the just over two decades since 2003, according to the ministry of equality. Currently, there are 5,196 women in the comprehensive monitoring system for those at risk of gender-based violence (Viogen) in the province, 2,612 of whom have children in their care. What's more, 59 of the cases monitored by the authorities involve girls under the age of 18. Since this operation has been active, the number of victims of gender-based violence given protection in the province has reached almost 40,000.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, celebrated every year on 25 November, does more than just denounce the most brutal manifestations of misogyny and machismo: physical violence or even murder. It also brings to the fore the gender inequality that persists in the labour market in the form of higher unemployment, greater job insecurity and lower wages for women. And, in addition, the more subtle and everyday forms of violence, sometimes referred to as "micro-machismo".

In fact, the campaign launched by the council of Malaga city this year is called 'Even if it's hard to see, it's gender violence' and aims to help identify the different ways in which men exert violence against women and how this manifests itself in everyday attitudes and behaviour that are sometimes excused and go unnoticed. The aim of this initiative, and also of the 25 November celebration itself, is to enable victims to identify what they are suffering, raise awareness among those around them and condemn gender inequality as a whole.

As a major new development this year, the institutional event for 25 November in the province will be a single gathering, demonstrating the unity of all authorities in their condemnation of gender-based violence, with the aim of sending a powerful message to society as a whole. In previous years, Malaga city council, the provincial authority, the regional government and the national government office in Malaga held their own events at their respective premises. But on this occasion, representatives of the municipal, provincial, Andalusian and central government will hold a joint event at the Museum of Malaga with the reading of a statement by Carmen Martín, president of the Violencia Cero platform against gender violence.

That will be next Tuesday morning. In the evening, the spotlight will be on social movements and feminist associations: a demonstration has been called, starting at 7.30pm in Plaza de La Merced, under the slogan 'Mobilise against gender-based violence and denialism'.

Unlike what has become the norm in many Spanish cities, such as Madrid, in Malaga the demonstration will once again involve all groups: here, differences of opinion on the trans issue or abortion have not broken the feminist movement which remains united.

Although the largest demonstration is expected to be the one taking place in the city of Malaga, the province's larger municipalities will also have their own agenda to commemorate this day against violence suffered by women simply because they are women.