We grew up in a mainly sexist system. This is how the laws were created and in the last century important efforts have been made for true gender equality. Previously, women did not have political participation and were imprisoned for having an abortion. Today, although there is some progress, there are still countries that have a lot of work ahead of them to protect women, not only for equality, but also to protect their own lives.
And the figures are alarming. According to the United Nations, at least 45,000 murders of women by their partners or family members were recorded in the world in 2021. In Argentina, for example, data from the Supreme Court of Justice in 2021 determined that every 35 hours a woman was a victim of feminicide. In Chile, since 2013, 457 femicides have been officially recorded, but there have been 1,447 frustrated attempts. For its part, in Mexico femicides began to be counted since 2015. Since then, 6,925 victims have been officially registered until September 2023, according to figures from the Executive Secretariat of that country.
Brazil has recorded the highest number of femicides per year, with 1,900 victims, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). In addition, the organization assures that the countries in the region with the highest rates of femicides per 100,000 inhabitants are El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Bolivia.
This November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and until December 10 the 16 Days to Promote Activism against Gender Violence will be celebrated, an opportunity to delve deeper into a problem that affects the growth of Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), one in three women in the region has suffered physical or sexual violence by their partner or a family member. The most common types of violence are physical violence, sexual violence and psychological violence. Physical violence refers to the use of force to cause harm to women. Sexual violence refers to any unwanted or forced sexual act. On the other hand, psychological violence refers to acts of verbal or emotional aggression that cause damage to women’s self-esteem or well-being.
Organizations such as the World Bank recognize this problem as an impediment to development for women in the social and economic sphere. In your report Prevent and address gender violencethe organization investigates and points out some actions that have proven effective in responding to violence against women.
Among the actions highlighted in research that have worked in the prevention of gender violence are the economic empowerment of women with monetary transfer programs; programs to prevent domestic violence and child abuse; community activism to promote change in patriarchal attitudes and social norms; interventions in schools to prevent sexual violence among young people, as well as activities with sex workers to reduce violence by clients, police or outsiders.
He World Bank has worked with the countries of the region to prevent, reduce and respond to gender violence with actions ranging from technical assistance, creation of safe spaces, implementation of services for women survivors of violence, creation of shelters, development of action protocols, telephone support lines for violence and reinforcement of policies against sexual harassment.
In Brazil, the World Bank provided analytical support to federal governments to understand the risk of violence against women in confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Recovery of Learning Losses from the Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil project seeks to identify students at risk of dropping out of school due to teenage pregnancy.
Other projects in the region, such as the National Intersectoral Adolescent Health Strategy for the Prevention or Delay of Parenthood in Nicaragua, includes training for health workers on the prevention of gender violence and good practices for working with adolescents. In Colombia, the Improving the Quality of Health Services and Efficiency project carries out detection actions, activation of protocols, provision of health services for victims, rehabilitation and social inclusion.
In Ecuador, the World Bank report, Literature Review What has worked to prevent gender violence and increase economic empowerment in Ecuador, Latin America and the rest of the world with an emphasis on indigenous communities?, details direct interventions to prevent this type of violence. In 2016, the Impact of transfers in reducing intimate partner violence program was developed with Colombian and Ecuadorian refugees in poverty, managing to reduce violence between 6% and 7%. Another project in collaboration with Economists Without Borders included women in solidarity and intercultural economy circuits, which contributed to the advancement of the exercise of their economic rights and empowerment in different aspects of their lives.
These types of projects reflect the intention to intervene in favor of the prevention and response against gender violence. Supporting legislative and political reforms on this issue, as well as legal protection for survivors and strengthening penalties for aggressors, is a necessary step to begin changing harmful social norms that end in violence in the homes of Latin America and the Caribbean. .
The eradication of gender violence is an urgent task that requires everyone’s commitment. Action is needed now to create a world where all women can live free of violence.
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