The article I chose this week is entitled " Women's fight against gender-based violence: Women's Organizations demanding that the Penal Code protect Women's Rights. " Dominican women have been fighting and voicing concern for change when it comes to gender-based violence and domestic violence for a great deal of 2012. According to the Gender Equality Observatory of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic tops the list of the 10 countries with the highest number of women murdered ever year; In October of 2012 alone there were 163 "femicides." On November 1st a set of different women organizations came together and released the Declaration of Compromise of Institutions and Organizations for the Prevention of Gender Based Violence which got the attention of Congress who is currently debating the Penal Code, a document that most see as having major setbacks in the case of women's rights and domestic violence.
I cannot say that I'm surprised by the women's rights issues concerning the women of the Dominican Republic, although the statistics provided in the article were a bit nerve wrecking to say the least. The issue of equality for women in the country is not only a political issue but also a social and cultural one. 41.3% of the households in the country are run and headed by women, leaving them in a much higher poverty level than men. The subjectivity of women in the country plays a very big role in the treatment of women there and if social norms remain the same it will make the transition to change much more difficult. I can say that I was delighted to see how many women of power and influence are in the Dominican government making the plight of the "regular woman" known and heard in Congress. The Deceleration was also endorsed and backed by the ministries of Education, Health and Sports, all male dominated entities. The inclusion of women in government to fight for the rights of all women is a great stride on the road of change in the Dominican Republic.
Gender and Inequality has always been a global social issue but the small yet effective steps being taken in places and countries like the Dominican Republic gives me high hopes for change being filtered into other nations who greatly need the help as well.
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