Paraguay Looks to Combat Surge in Femicides
Paraguay Looks to Combat Surge in Femicides
Published 17 May 2016
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According to U.N. Women, 14 of the 25 countries with the highest rates of femicide are in Latin America.
| Photo: Reuters
Published 17 May 2016
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Paraguay remains one of the few Latin American countries that doesn't recognize femicide as a specific crime with heavier sentences in its criminal code.
The lower house is debating a bill Tuesday to better protect women in a bid to address the recent surge of femicides, which is the deliberate killing of women – because they are women.
The lawmakers proposed to create a “support network” with women activists, who would be working with the Congress, the Ministry of Women, as well as organizations like U.N. Women and Amnesty International, according to a lower house's communique. There have been four reported femicides just in the last week.
The network is meant to help implement the Integral Protection Bill for women, expected to be fully approved shortly.
Minister of Women Ana Maria Baiardi insisted that the number of complaints over sexist violence has increased, even if only an estimated 30 percent of women actually complain over physical violence. This percentage drops down to 10 percent when it comes to psychological violence.
More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Paraguay-Looks-to-Combat-Surge-in-Femicides--20160517-0039.html
