Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION OF NICARAGUA AT THE ORDINARY SESSION OF THE OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN,
NOVEMBER 20, 2019
Thank you very much Madam President
The Delegation of Nicaragua joins in the Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and thanks the distinguished Ambassador of Panama, María del Carmen Roquebert and the Delegations that sponsored the presentation of this important issue at the Permanent Council.
Violence against Women, as described by UN-Women, constitutes a worldwide pandemic and a real challenge that we have to face as Member States of this Organization, therefore, we are being called to address it until its full eradication is achieved.
Effectively addressing the elimination of Violence against Women and Girls requires a multidimensional and holistic perspective, which contemplates all the factors that cause the generation of this type of violence, in which the entities created by our States, for the prevention of this scourge, play a special role in its analysis and treatment.
The existence of cultural patterns that discriminate Women and give them a secondary role in some Societies, nullifying their potentials and capabilities, as well as their positive impact on the different areas of National Life within our Countries, constitutes a real obstacle.
That is why we are required to design and implement public policies and preventive actions such as the promotion of a culture of respect for Women, which will allow the changing of behavioral patterns in Men and Boys. An educational process with large-scale National Outreach Programs is required, which begins within the Home, Family, School, University, Community and Society as a whole.
Regarding the normative and legislative framework, the creation of an effective reporting mechanisms for acts of violence against Women is required, allowing for the application of laws that penalize and deter aggressive behaviors, harassment and physical or psychological violence which occur within family relationships, and in other areas.
An in-depth analysis of this problem leads us to sustain that the elimination of violence against Women will bring great benefits to the strengthening of the Family as the fundamental basis of our Societies, promoting stability and security in favor of the socioeconomic, productive, and cultural development of the countries that achieve their eradication.
The contribution of Women to our Societies ensures development, as well as the strengthening and prosperity of our Nations.
Regarding this issue, the Vice-President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Comrade Rosario Murillo has stated the following: “There is no Victory, neither Economic, Social, or Political, that does not include Women as Essential Protagonists. There are no Triumphs that do not belong to us. There are no stories that do not apply to us.”
Regarding the exchange of good practices and experiences, the Government of Nicaragua has prioritized the incorporation of a gender perspective in Policies, Plans, Programs and Legal Regulations in order to ensure the restitution of Rights and the full and active participation of Women in all spaces where decisions are made.
In the legislative field, we have made significant progress with the approval of Law No. 870 “Family Code”, strengthening special protection measures for Women victims of violence and the obligation to denounce domestic violence.
In the same manner, we guarantee the full application of Law No. 779 and its reforms, with the training of officials within the justice sector, allowing for the application of a gender perspective in all phases of the criminal process; the analysis of rulings, action protocols and institutional strengthening.
Within the framework of the strategy to facilitate Women's access to Justice, the Institute of Legal Medicine of Nicaragua (IML) conducted 167,009 expert reports on the investigation of crimes against Life, Health, Physical, Psychological and Sexual Integrity.
Likewise, 69,605 criminal cases were processed and 43,287 resolved representing 62%. Currently, the judiciary has interdisciplinary teams of specialists in Psychology and Social Services to support Women victims of violence.
65 rulings on femicide have been handed down and all have been found guilty, evidencing that there is no impunity for the perpetration of this serious crime.
We have strengthened the Judicial Observatory on Gender Violence of the Supreme Court of Justice, in order to follow up and monitor the application of precautionary judicial decisions and judicial statistics related to crimes contemplated in Law No. 779.
We have carried out activities for the coordination and training at the institutional, inter-institutional and community levels for the prevention and attention of violence against Women.
Aware of the important role played by Women in the Nicaraguan Society, 1,553 Women at risk and victims of violence were granted microloans, promoting their personal and professional growth, contributing to the integral restitution of their rights. Women from the Northern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua have received workshops on artisanry and have established fruit plant and forestry nurseries.
Among other important achievements regarding Gender Policy in Nicaragua and that have been recognized by different International Organizations including the World Economic
Forum, the Regional Office for Swiss Cooperation in Central America, UN Women and the World Interparliamentary Union, are the following:
The most recent Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum emphasizes that we are the best ranked country in the Americas in terms of gender equality. Particularly noteworthy, is that Nicaragua occupies second place in political empowerment and first place in terms of the proportion of Women in ministerial positions; all of this as a result of the Policies promoted by the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, among them, Law 50-50 that guarantees Gender Equality within the list of candidates for positions of popular election.
We have risen four positions to occupy the sixth place in the Global Equity Index, positioning Nicaragua as the Country with the highest Gender Equality in the Americas. We also occupy the fifth place in the participation of Women in Parliament and the first place with respect to the number of Women in ministerial positions.
Regarding the empowerment of Women in Politics, we have achieved an equal participation of Women in public office. Women are represented by 59.7% in the Judiciary, 56% in the Executive Branch, 45.7% in Parliament, 46% of Mayors, 60% of Deputy Mayors and 50% municipal councilwomen.
Women in Nicaragua are occupying the most important positions within the State and Government, such as: Vice-Presidency of the Republic, Presidency of the Supreme Court of Justice, Vice-Presidency of the National Assembly, Office of the Attorney General, Office of the Public Prosecutor, Ministry of Defense, Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights, the Mayor of the Capital of the country, among others.
Within the Executive Branch, 9 of the 16 Central Ministries (56.3%) are headed by Women, and 7 of 16 Deputy Ministers 43.8% must be also added. Similarly, Women are in charge of 14 of the 31 Decentralized Entities (45.1%).
In other Branches and Entities of the State, Women occupy 57.14% of the Board of Directors of the National Assembly, 40% of the Magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Council, 31.25% of the Magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice, 50% of the Comptrollers General and 57.14% of the Central Bank.
We have been implementing strategies for the strengthening of leadership and empowerment of 78,295 Women Community Leaders, Council women, Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Women with economic-productive enterprises and public servants, as well as policies and instruments for the incorporation of good gender practices in State Institutions, allocating significant economic resources for this purpose.
As a Nation, we will continue to obtain important victories towards the revindication of Women’s Rights, the true protagonists of Reconciliation, forgers of dreams and of a promising future for Nicaragua.
We will continue fighting against all types of violence against them, with the aim of achieving higher levels of Security, Protection and Development with Social Justice, with Gender Equity, for the benefit of the Nicaraguan Women.
Thank you very much Madam President.