Protest in Bolivia by payorivero, on Flickr
President Evo Morales has announced the approval of a new law to combat femicide. The new law dictates a 30 year prison sentence for offenders and is part of the governments’ attempt to combat the country’s soaring rates of domestic violence against women.
The law, referred to as the “Comprehensive Law Guaranteeing Women a Life Free From Violence” was signed in the Government Palace in La Paz. The signing was attended by indigenous women’s organisations, feminists, and human rights activists.
The law aims to reduce male violence against women and to provide them protection. Since 2009, 403 women have been killed, and 21 of these killings occurred in quick succession in the first months of 2013. These figures are amongst the highest in Latin America.
Congressman Ever Moya, a vociferous supporter of the law and president of the Human Rights Commission, explained how, thanks to the new law, femicide will be incorporated into the Penal Code. He added that the 30 years incarceration excludes the right to pardon.
Femicide is defined as the killing of a woman on the grounds of her gender. Morales believes that the law will be effective in curbing violence and aggression against women. He also guaranteed to provide the funds for the implementation of the new law.
Story courtesy of Agencia Púlsar, the AMARC-ALC news agency.
Yay Bolivia! Yay Argentina!