Hundreds of people are expected to march through downtown San José on Tuesday afternoon to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The demonstration, organized by feminist groups and supported by the National Women’s Institute (Inamu), is anticipated to draw hundreds of participants. The march will begin at 5 p.m. in San José's Central Park and continue to the Plaza de la Democracia.

Traffic authorities have advised drivers to avoid the downtown area during the event. Officers will be stationed along Central and Second avenues to redirect vehicles.

In addition to Inamu, representatives from several public institutions, embassies and nonprofit organizations are expected to participate.

As of November, 33 women in Costa Rica have been killed in acts of violence, most involving intimate partners, according to Inamu. “Breaking this cycle of violence against women and the impunity that sustains it remains one of the most important ethical responsibilities we have as a state and as a society,” the agency said in a statement.


Authorities urged the public to report suspected cases of violence against women. Confidential tips can be submitted by calling the toll-free number 800-8000-645, the short line 1176 or the 9-1-1 emergency line. Bilingual agents are available in English and Spanish.

The United Nations established Nov. 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in 1999. The date commemorates the 1960 killing of the Mirabal sisters, activists who opposed Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

Their legacy helped inspire global recognition of gender-based violence. In 1993, the UN defined such violence as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”

The UN says the purpose of the observance is to raise awareness that women worldwide face domestic violence, sexual violence and other forms of harm, and that the true scale of the problem is often hidden.

Inamu is Costa Rica’s public agency responsible for promoting and protecting women’s human rights, advancing gender equality and supporting women through public programs and policies.

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