Immaculata Casimero: Warrior for indigenous women’s rights

Immaculata Casimero in an indigenous outfit and a traditional headdress during the CEDAW peer review in Geneva, Switzerland

One sexual encounter led to 17-year-old Immaculata Casimero becoming pregnant for someone she had no real relationship with and this experience is one of the driving forces behind her work today in the indigenous community promoting women’s empowerment and women’s rights.

While she does not blame her mother for that teenage experience, Casimero pointed out that her mother taught her about many things, but sex was not one of them; instead she was given a book to read. She was quick to add though that both of her parents played a big role in who she is today. But she believes her lack of knowledge drove her to experiment and part of what she does today is help women understand that having sexual conversations with their daughters and sons is not prohibited but rather it prepares them for the world at large.