[News] Giammattei assures that he works to protect the women of Guatemala and to build them a more promising future without violence

[WilkerCSBD]

President Alejandro Giammattei participated this Monday, March 8, in which International Women's Day is commemorated, in the inauguration ceremony of the I´x Kem Model of Comprehensive Care for Women Victims of Violence (MAIMI), which involves 16 entities states that will ensure that the women of the country are given prompt and fulfilled justice and tools to break circles of violence.

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 William W. Popp, United States Ambassador to Guatemala, during the opening ceremony of the Ixkem Maimi model. (Photo: Byron García)
In his speech, the president said that on October 24, 2020, 135 days ago, the Attorney General Consuel Porras visited with him the facilities where the MAIMI operates today, at 11 avenue A 11-47 zone 7, La Verbena in the Guatemalan capital, and said that this was the place they needed for the project and that they had to hurry so that it was ready this March 8.

“This is a good day to reflect on the important role that women play in the development of our society, with their work, with their participation and with their leadership in each of the spaces they occupy, because they undoubtedly contribute to building a better country, "said the president.

He added that in Guatemala most of the people who inhabit it are women and that is why he wanted to “pay tribute to all of them, mothers, daughters, wife, sisters, friends and professionals who with their inner strength, love, professionalism and dedication work in the construction of a better future from its different areas. Some women do it from the professional sphere or as heads of the household ”.

He also paid tribute to Guatemalan entrepreneurs, intellectuals, scientists, and innovators who are contributing from different parts of the globe to make the world better.

Protection of women
Giammattei assured that he believes in the importance of protecting them and guaranteeing a safe environment for women and that context from the central government is committed to each one of them to build a more promising future, without violence, without discrimination and a future with opportunities for all.

He noted that for this reason the State of Guatemala has reaffirmed its commitment to the signing of various international instruments such as the Inter-American Convention to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women and the Declaration on the elimination of violence against women, which are instruments that oblige them to adopt policies to guarantee respect for the universal rights of all women.

He expressed that the government policy 2020-2024 raises the strengthening of the institutionality, of citizen security, guaranteeing access to prompt and fulfilled justice, promoting the national coverage of justice institutions, promoting the reduction of the commission of crimes and promote prevention programs and conflict resolution bodies.

She also read: I´x Kem MAIMI: the comprehensive care model for women victims of violence in Guatemala

“We reiterate the commitment to implement what is embodied in national and international legal instruments and therefore all the necessary efforts have been made to guarantee that women have access to prompt justice and complied with quality standards and with a gender perspective, cultural relevance. and linguistics such as this MAIMI ”, stated the president.

Giammattei declared that among these tangible efforts is the signing of the inter-institutional cooperation agreement that allowed the articulation of all the actions for the inauguration of the MAIMI.

“This is an innovative model that will provide justice services, protection, but above all economic empowerment for women through breaking the circles and schemes of violence that have been holding them for many years. This model has been carefully articulated so that all the necessary services are in one place to avoid revictimization and that women can feel protected and trust that the State will provide them with the protection and tools necessary to recover their life project, ”she said. Giammattei in his speech.

He assured that they have spared no effort or resources to make this dream a reality.

He called on all sectors to unite in favor of women and together forge a better future for all women, who deserve a safe and full life.

There are still things to do, but this small event, the MAIMI, is a great step in the search for a country with better opportunities for all.
 

"Do not allow more abuse"
“I motivate them not to allow any more abuses against them. Violence in any of its forms is not normal. Report and make use of these services that are made available to you for free. We must break the silence, we must dare to denounce so that together we can end the cycle of violence, ”Giammattei explained.

Giammattei recognized the courage of the president of the Judicial Organism, Patricia Valdés, and the prosecutor María Consuelo Porras Argueta, because she says that without them at the head of those institutions we would not have the awareness that everyone now has of the struggle that must be done to eradicate the violence against women.

She thanked the ministers, the defender of the rights of indigenous women, the institutions of the Justice sector, because they have worked in coordination to fight in favor of women.

He also thanked the Spanish Cooperation and the European Union and the United States embassy for being allies against violence.

Also read: Judge Erika Aifán receives the “Courage Woman” award from the first lady of the United States

Reactions
Claudia Hernández, director of Survivors, said that they hope that Giammattei will fulfill his offer to give protection to women and that this will be reflected when they request in the budgets those increases for the various programs not only for the prevention of violence, but also care to the victim.

She expressed that the programs should be disclosed, as they are unknown, and thus thousands of women victims of violence could opt for them.

“If we see it reflected in the budget for the programs, we see that it would comply, since the sectors that work on the issue of women must be strengthened. Also increase the budget to the PNC, but that it be investigated. In the MP expedite the reception of complaints and that the prosecutors that open have the appropriate spaces for a diligent investigation, ”Hernández explained.

She also asked the Judicial Branch to open more courts and tribunals with trained personnel and to promote the mother tongue, for justice for women.

Regarding the latest crimes against women, Hernández said that the authorities acted quickly on the issue of arrests, the problem is progress afterwards. She added that the investigations are slow and the courts give spaced dates, there is a lot of suspension of hearings or give alternative measures in crimes that do not apply.
 

This has repercussions that the accused escape and the process is paid. "There are thousands of cases that after the complaint everything stops, so thousands of women decide not to continue."
He added that Survivors accompanies cases that have between three and four years awaiting trial, such as the Hogar Seguro case. He pointed out that one should bet on the issue of prevention.

Giovana Lemus, from the Guatemalan Women's Group, said that they hope that what the president has said will be manifested in concrete actions.

She added that a fundamental action is the role of the National Commission for the Prevention of Violence and that it must be strengthened within the framework of what the president is saying in order to fulfill the mandate that he has.

She said that there are more than 12,500 women who have lost their lives and their cases remain in impunity and that every year there are more than 50,000 women who report it, so concrete actions are needed for all of them.

Also read: Foreign Minister says he does not know if Guatemala is going to help in the legal process for the death of Guatemalans in Tamaulipas

The MAIMI
The attorney general, Consuelo Porras, said that the Maimi will substantially change the legal approach for women victims of violence in Guatemala.

She said that they chose March 8 to inaugurate this model of care as a tribute to women in the struggle to obtain recognition of their human rights, justice, equality and peace.

She pointed out that the crime of violence against women is the most denounced, according to the reports of the MP, and that is why mechanisms have been created to support women and thus respond in a better way to the needs and that they are with quality, efficiency and relevance cultural.

She clarified that as a deep commitment of the MP with equality, the monitoring mechanism of the equality policy between men and women has been implemented in the MP and the implementation of the protocol for the attention of cases of sexual harassment in the workplace, within the institution.

In addition, instructions for equality and gender approaches in criminal prosecution, for the immediate search for disappeared women, the methodology for forming local search teams of the Law for the Immediate Search of Disappeared Women, or urgent investigation procedures for the report of the Isabel-Claudina alert, during the 6, 48 and 72 hours of disappearance.

Also read: "I saw that my father shot my mother": Where are the children who are witnesses to the violence who are orphaned

She also referred to the streamlining of the investigation of femicide cases, the hotline for pregnant minors under 14 years of age, the Women's Observatory.

He said that taking into account the cultural diversity of the country, it was decided to name the model as IxQuem, in Kaachiqkel, which refers to women weaving life, but also implies the fight for justice, for their rights, for equality, and rebuilt where they find the help they need.

She added that with this model they are ensuring that women receive comprehensive care and diligent research, thanks to the support of 16 agencies that make up the model will work as a free service of aid, justice, health, education, economic and social empowerment in a single place.

In this place, the women's statements will be taken in advance of the test to avoid having to testify several times and being doubly victimized. In addition, they may have protection and security measures immediately.

The victim will be followed up and the cycle of violence will be broken.