Barcelona’s Raval neighbourhood is facing the possible loss of Metzineres, a feminist cooperative that supports women affected by violence and homelessness, after its landlord said it will not renew the lease.
The centre, on Carrer de la Lluna, has operated since 2017 and, according to activism representative Andre Gaetano, supported 400 women in the past 12 months. Metzineres said 89% of those women were homeless and 60% were roofless. It opens every afternoon and offers a place to rest, eat, talk, shower, take part in activities, or use drugs.
In September 2020, the Catalan government recognised Metzineres as a Specialised Intervention Service, or SIE, for women and their children affected by gender-based violence. The property owner first set a 30 June deadline to leave, then extended it by three months.
The cooperative has asked Barcelona City Council to buy the building or provide another location in the Raval. Ciutat Vella district held an extraordinary plenary session on the issue, with proposals from the Comuns and ERC calling for institutional recognition of Metzineres and action to secure its future, including the possible public purchase of the property. See also the latest Catalonia news.
Marta Valldaura, who coordinates Metzineres’ legal team, said the group wants to keep working in the neighbourhood. Manu, a long-time user who now works as a community technician for the cooperative, said the centre gave her back her dignity and support network after life on the street. She now lives in accommodation provided by Llar Rosario Endrinal of Fundació Assís.
Metzineres also carries out outreach in the area, including Thursday walks to inform women living on the street about its services and to offer sex workers basic products. Staff also visit hospitals and prisons. The cooperative says it is the only space of its kind in Catalonia and Spain, and that it always welcomes women rather than turning them away.