Mirabal Law proposes national statistical system on violence against women

Santo Domingo.- The draft Organic Law on Comprehensive Response to Violence against Women, known as the “Mirabal Law,” would give the National Statistics Office (ONE) responsibility for coordinating a specialized statistical system on violence against women.

The bill, submitted to Congress, proposes creating a mechanism to collect, integrate, analyze, and publish data on different forms of violence. The ONE would provide technical and statistical coordination in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and other institutions that generate official data.

The system would establish common categories, classifications, and variables to make information from different government agencies comparable. Data would be published in anonymized form and follow national and international statistical standards.

The proposal also requires the ONE to conduct a National Survey on Violence against Women at least every five years to measure the prevalence, characteristics, and evolution of violence, including cases that are never reported. The results would be made public and used to develop and monitor public policies.

The bill would also establish a permanent national coordination mechanism, led by the Ministry of Women, bringing together more than 20 government institutions to coordinate and monitor policies aimed at preventing and addressing violence against women.

The initiative is named after Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa Mirabal, who were murdered by the Trujillo dictatorship on November 25, 1960. The date is commemorated worldwide as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.