Regions against gender-based violence 2023
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Thursday, November 23, 2023
16:00 CET (check your time zone)
Virtual. In English, Spanish and French.
Registration link:
Since feminist movements broke the silence that concealed and normalized gender-based violence, more and more countries have developed a substantial body of knowledge, legislation, policies, and social transformations to eradicate it. This has made it possible for us to understand that the causes and characteristics of this violence are socially produced and reproduced in various spheres, including institutional, community, workplace, and digital contexts, among others. It has also been confirmed that structural inequalities that systematically harm women are a key element in the perpetuation of macho violence in each of these areas.
In this journey, regional governments play a very important role in designing and implementing public policies with a feminist perspective. These public policies’ goal is to eradicate macho violence and structural inequality. These governments should help bring this violence to light and ensure prevention and comprehensive reparation with due diligence.
Addressing macho violence must be done with an understanding that it constitues a violation of human rights perpetrated against women. It shows the unequal situation within a system of power relations where men dominate women. Whether this violence occurs in the public or private sphere, it results in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering, produced through physical, economic, or psychological means.
Furthermore, it is essential to integrate into regional public policies and legislations the conceptual, normative, and practical advances that comprehensively guarantee the rights and needs of women in situations of macho violence in all their diversity, as well as for their daughters and sons.
Therefore, regional governments must continue working towards the incorporation of a human rights approach, the adoption of international human rights standards, and a perspective focused on prevention and comprehensive reparation. Only in this way can we ensure an effective response for women in situations of macho violence and the transformation of society as a whole.
For all these reasons, this webinar is an opportunity to share best practices being developed in different regions that contribute to the eradication of macho violence and the support of victims and survivors.
Program
16:00 Opening Session
Laia Rosich Solé, General Director for the Eradication of Gender-based Violence. Department of Equality and Feminism. Government of Catalonia.
16:15 Women Governors Against Gender Violence
Anne Waiguru, Governor of Kirinyaga and President of the Council of Governors of Kenya.
Paola Pabón, Pichincha’s prefect and CONGOPE’s president , Ecuador.
Mbarka Bouaida, Regional President of Guelmin-Oued Noun and President of the Association of Regions of Morocco.
16:45 Panel Discussion on "Projects for the Eradication of Macho Violence"
"Don't Be That Guy." Scotland.
Empowering the economic autonomy of rural women to reduce gender-based violence. Gossas, Senegal.
Maria da Penha Patrol. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Antipanic Button. Córdoba, Argentina.
Raising awareness against gender-based violence through tribal leaders. Tahoua, Niger.
Purple Patrol Against Gender Violence - Quindío, Colombia.
Gender and Family Police Station - Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Compensation and reparations for women who suffer macho violence - Catalonia.
17:30 Panel Discussion
17:45 Closing Session
Maria Noel Vaeza, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of UN Women and Executive Director of the Generation Equality project
Some good practices to highlight
Scotland
“Don’t be tht guy”
The Scottish government has always paid great attention to women's rights. For instance, last year, its Parliament approved a plan to provide free menstrual hygiene products to all women, thus advancing the fulfillment of women's sexual and reproductive rights.
In this webinar, the Scottish government will share the video "Don't be that guy." This video, which was presented last November and immediately went viral, calls on men to identify and change their attitudes and behaviors to prevent sexual violence against women. The video explains, "Most men look in the mirror and don't see a problem. Sexual violence starts long before you think it does. Don't be that guy." In it, several men describe situations that are often minimized but constitute sexual violence. The video has been circulated through social media and is part of a broader campaign that provides information to men on how they can help combat violence against women, especially sexual violence.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf-rOrOXoRI
Stephen Carrol Manager of Communications Strategy. Police Scotland.
Gossas, Senegal
Strengthening the economic autonomy of rural women to reduce gender-based violence.
The project aims to enhance the economic capacity of rural women by introducing renewable energy sources into agricultural production and local product processing. Through this project, these empowered women will be able to make economic contributions to their families, and, by doing so, reducing economic dependency and increasing their autonomy in the face of potential situations of gender-based violence, especially within the context of personal relationships
Mame Penda Gueye. 1st Vice President of the Departmental Council of Gossas.
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
"Patrol Maria da Penha"
Cases of violence against women constitute the primary reason for the urgent intervention by the Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro. It is worth noting that one-third of the calls received in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro are related to violence against women. In response to this issue, the state's law enforcement agencies have created a specialized policing model called the "Maria da Penha Patrol," which primarily focuses on assisting women who are victims of gender-based violence. One of the program's most notable aspects is its perspective of coordinated intervention with all components of the judicial system, the support and assistance network for women victims of violence, as well as civil society organizations dedicated to this issue. In this regard, the program receives support from external collaborations and formally has a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the State Court of Rio de Janeiro, which sets forth objectives and commitments for both parties. Among the objectives, a key emphasis is placed on the effective and socially recognized role of the State Police in eradicating violence against women, protecting their lives through prevention, and addressing its most extreme manifestation, femicide.
This project was awarded in 2021 during the 6th edition of the Regional Best Practices Award by ORU Fogar and UNDP.
El video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKlW1lVHWME
Úrsula Vilaça, advisor to the Chief of Staff of the State Military Police Department.
Córdoba, Argentina.
Anti-panic button.
The anti-panic button is one of the protective measures available to women in situations of gender-based violence in a family context or with a partner. This measure goes along with others, such as a restraining order against the aggressor, their eviction from the home, or the use of a dual device (ankle or wrist electronic bracelet). The device has a GPS, so when the SOS button is pressed, it immediately alerts the response system. Monitoring allows each button to be georeferenced on a map with the victim's data, while also recording each violation by the aggressor. This enables authorities to maintain an up-to-date database with information about each device almost instantly, allowing them to identify usage patterns and statistics regarding its effectiveness. The distribution of the button can be authorized by a Juvenile, Adolescence, Family, and Gender Violence Court, an investigative prosecutor's office, a specialized gender violence prosecutor's office, the Criminal and Correctional Court, or a judicial unit in case of urgency. In the Province of Córdoba, during the past month of May, 40 anti-panic buttons were distributed daily. In the same month, they were activated 303 times in various locations within the territory. According to data provided by the Ministry of Women of the Province, there are 5,081 active devices throughout the provincial territory.
Claudia Martínez, Provincial Minister of Women.
Tahoua. Niger.
Raising awareness about gender-based violence through tribal leaders.
According to a 2019 study by UN Women, being a woman in Africa often means enduring a life marked by higher levels of violence compared to other regions. As the study points out, "Africa is the continent where women are most likely to be killed by their partner or a family member." Femicides, a global scourge, primarily target women within families, but they also affect sex workers, institutionalized elderly women, or orphaned girls accused of witchcraft. This extreme violence often exists as part of a continuum of physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence. Described by the United Nations as "the most widespread but least visible human rights violation in the world," gender-based violence disproportionately affects African women. In 2018, a survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that 65% of women in Central Africa had experienced violence. Indeed, the fear of stigma often discourages victims from reporting their abusers. In Niger, according to a study by the German Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, 99% of rape victims do not seek legal recourse, and when they do, the convictions do not adequately reflect the severity of the crimes. In response to this situation, the Regional Council of Tahoua addresses the issue in its territory through awareness-raising efforts, with the collaboration of tribal leaders.
Nana Haouaou Maikelema, Vice President of the Regional Council.
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Gender and Family Police Station
The Gender and Family Police Station in Ushuaia was inaugurated in 2017 in response to the need for a specific space to address cases of gender-based and intrafamily violence in the city. The creation of this police station was an initiative of the Provincial Government of Tierra del Fuego, in collaboration with civil society organizations and the support of the community. Its main objective is to provide comprehensive and specialized assistance to individuals experiencing gender-based or intrafamily violence.
Since its establishment, the Gender and Family Police Station has worked on the prevention, detection, and primary care of cases of gender-based and family violence. To achieve this, it has an interdisciplinary team composed of psychologists, social workers, lawyers, and police personnel trained in gender perspective. Additionally, this police station conducts awareness and prevention activities in the community, including talks, workshops, and awareness campaigns on gender-based violence and its consequences.
Currently, the Gender and Family Police Station in Ushuaia serves as a reference point in the province and the country for comprehensive care related to gender-based and family violence. Its work has been recognized by national and international organizations and has been highlighted as a model to be followed by other cities and provinces in the country.
In summary, the Gender and Family Police Station in Ushuaia is an institution that plays a fundamental role in protecting and assisting victims of gender-based or intrafamily violence, contributing to the construction of a more just and equal society.
Amira Maslup, Undersecretary of Gender Policies in the Provincial Government.
Quindío Department
Purple Patrol Against Gender Violence
This police unit aims to enhance services in the prevention and handling of domestic violence, based on a gender perspective. Its goal is to ensure comprehensive care for women and facilitate their access to justice. This service aims at strengthening the professional competencies of the police force, with the aim of building trust within the community, in the context of a comprehensive respect for human rights. It also seeks to coordinate the intelligence, criminal investigation, and prevention capabilities of the National Police to combat violence against women, in collaboration with all levels of administration. The team of officers in the Patrol is responsible for preventing and addressing cases of violence against women 24 hours a day and, through prevention efforts, providing guidance and spreading information on how to respond to these situations.
Liliana Jaramillo Cárdenas, Social Welfare Director.
Government of Catalonia
Reparation and Compensation for Women in Situations of Macho Violence
The Law 17/2020 of December 22, amending Law 5/2008 on the right of women to eradicate gender-based violence, is a pioneering law not only in Catalonia but also at the national level. This law stands out for its recognition of a wide range of forms and settings where violence against women occurs, as well as the various approaches to addressing these instances of violence. Among these perspectives, we highlight the feminist and intersectional perspective, the human rights approach, the incorporation of international human rights standards, such as due diligence, guarantees of non-repetition and non-revictimization, as well as the importance of prevention and comprehensive reparation.
This law also recognizes the concept of femicide and extends the contexts in which gender-based violence can occur. Specifically, it includes the political and public spheres of women's lives, the digital sphere, the institutional sphere, and the educational sphere as material and symbolic spaces where different forms of macho violence can manifest.
This framework has enabled the Government of Catalonia to make progress in the reparation and compensation for victims. Thus, women survivors of any of the forms of violence specified in the law, with a final judgment, will not have to provide evidence of injuries or consequences with a medical report or court judgment to receive compensation. The simplification of the procedure will increase the number of women who can benefit from compensation since many were excluded because court judgments did not always address the consequences of the violence suffered. Additionally, for the first time, mothers who have lost their daughters and sons due to vicarious violence will be entitled to compensation, and police investigations will be sufficient to verify the situation. Compensation will now be compatible with the Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure that no survivor in Catalonia has to forego compensation due to incompatibilities or for reasons of greater economic interest. Finally, the amount of compensation for the daughters and sons of women killed by gender-based violence is also increased, and for the first time, daughters and sons will not have to present a court judgment for the violence prior to the femicide of their mother.
Laia Rosich, Director General for the Eradication of Macho Violence.
