NICARAGUA: Forum on Violence against Women in Nicaragua

Date: 
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Source: 
Inside Costa Rica
Countries: 
Americas
Central America
Nicaragua
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Conflict Prevention
Participation

A forum on violence against women will be held in Nicaragua on Friday, after the recent approval of a comprehensive legislation on the issue that combines preventive policies and tougher sentences.

Convened by the Committee on Women, Youth, Children and Family at the National Assembly, the meeting aims to contribute to spreading the rule of law and raise awareness of the different kinds of gender violence within the family and community, according to organizers.

The Comprehensive Law against Violence against Woman, adopted by Parliament in late January, conceives awareness campaigns in defense of women, as well as tougher punishment and educational measures to prevent its recurrence.

With a broad view of the conflict, the law defines and establishes sanctions for cases of physical, psychological, sexual, patrimonial, economic and labor violence, among others, and bans the media from using images of women as commercial sex objects and encouraging violence against them.

During the debate of the law, the president of the Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Irma Davila, highlighted the Government's intention to reduce violence and the idea of promoting family councils to develop the educational work in the communities.