Santiago, DR
In President Luis Abinader’s speech on the occasion of his two years in office, the president once again emphasized the importance of women in the Dominican Republic as part of an inclusive and egalitarian society.
“Women cannot continue to suffer unjust discrimination. They are the fundamental pillar of society. In these two years of administration we have significantly increased the funds dedicated to the fight for equality, doubling the budget of the Ministry of Women,” said Abinader.
Likewise, the head of state emphasized that the resources for the Ministry of Women have been doubled, with emphasis on those women who have been victims of gender and domestic violence, as well as children who femicides have orphaned.
She also made mentioned the last campaign presented in August 2021 by the Ministry of Women called “Living Without Violence, It’s Possible,” which reached more than 815,483 people with “door to door” messages and has expanded the coverage of legal and psychological services for these women, who currently have 16 shelters that are operating “at full capacity.”
“To date, 2,679 women and their children have been cared for and protected, as well as 140 women victims of trafficking and smuggling,” added the President.
Business sector
The President assured that the presence of women is found in “all social and economic policies” of his current administration, for which he announced that they would benefit from 62% of the loans of the National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme), which will be specifically destined to women’s micro-enterprises.
“The more than 26,000 property titles we have delivered, 65% have been to women. I know that the changes in some cases are slower than we would like, but I also tell you with my heart in my hand that circumstances do not allow us to go faster,” Abinader revealed.
Learn more
According to the website of the Ministry of Women, the main mission of the institution is to promote, defend and guarantee the human, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of women for the full exercise of their citizenship through actions, interventions in promotion and prevention programs. Also the dissemination of norms related to women’s rights and the establishment of standards, coordination, and monitoring of women to eradicate violence against women would be implemented.