Free Dialogue: 700 women receive financial aid

Until last July, seven hundred women received help from the State, through the Ministry of womento achieve economic recovery after being victims of violence.

The information was revealed by Mayra Jimenez and Addys Then, Minister for Women and Technical Vice Minister for Planning and Development of that institution, who participated in the Free Dialogue together with Carolina Alvarado, director of the Firm.

The head of that portfolio stressed that this constitutes the most important social program promoted by the current government, which shows that supporting these vulnerable women is a high priority. She highlighted the priority of the program because it is the social aid of the highest economic amount that exists from the Government and because it contributes to the training of these women so that they can achieve economic recovery or start businesses.

Then, meanwhile, explained that as part of the program they have supported these vulnerable women with the allocation of 10,000 pesos per month, of which 6,500 pesos are given in cash and another 3,500 pesos, through food vouchers.

Jiménez specified that the vision of the program is that the victims of violence receive these benefits for a period of one year, which is an ideal time to achieve their recovery. However, he pointed out that there are cases of victims of violence who need to receive this financial support for a longer time. He gave as an example the case of an elderly woman who was left to care for her grandchildren because her daughter died as a result of domestic violence.

To enter and exit the Economic Recovery program there are protocols implemented by that portfolio.

The empowerment of victims and their training, as well as economic support, are crucial to ensure that women do not continue to endure mistreatment, since in most cases they live in this reality for economic reasons.

Last year this assistance was delivered to 400 families, for which a budget of 29.7 million pesos was executed.

Financing

As part of the support for women, the Minister for Women, Mayra Jimenez, recalled that through an inter-institutional alliance with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, via Promipyme, 68 percent of loans have been granted to women. These financings seek to contribute to economic recovery, for companies that closed during the pandemic or new ventures.

She specified that if the Dominican Republic is analyzed, where they have serious challenges to advance, all or almost all of these challenges have the face of a woman and valued the importance of public policies focused on improving the quality of life of women.

The official also referred to the National Happy Family Housing Plan through which a Women’s Bonus was instituted so that, in addition to the facilities provided by the State through this program, there is additional support, via the Ministry of womento help single mothers.

He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic deepened existing gaps. Jiménez also specified that thanks to inter-institutional agreements, women have been given greater opportunities, empowering them and giving them the opportunity to undertake. In this sense, he highlighted the alliances with Promipyme, the Adopem Savings and Credit Bank and other financial institutions.

Obstetric-gynecological violence

The officials were questioned about the exorbitant number of caesarean sections that are performed in the country and if the Ministry of women It has taken it into account in its public policies. In this regard, Addys Then, Technical Vice Minister of Planning and Development, stressed that the current legislation does not allow dealing with obstetric violence, which constitutes one of the most silent forms of violence that exist but is more frequent in the country’s hospitals and clinics. She added that pregnant teenagers suffer “a lot of obstetric violence.”

“Unfortunately we have a culture of unnecessary cesarean sections… because it is much more profitable and much faster… There is no legislation that allows us to act accordingly,” he reflected.

However, he revealed that the Ministry of women works on prevention, together with the Gender Equality Unit of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance, generating awareness and training processes in public hospitals, especially in existing maternity hospitals.

For these purposes, he indicated, a diagnosis was made to identify the services offered in maternity hospitals and thus be able to draw a series of lines of action that allow the implementation of measures to protect the sexual and reproductive rights of women.

media powers

Jiménez specified that education in sexual and reproductive health must be strengthened and that in order to implement it, it must be possible to raise awareness of the country’s “media powers”, which he did not identify, which in his opinion, “do not allow us to advance in these topics”.

He assured that both the Minister of Education, Roberto Fulcar, and the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, are convinced that it is necessary to strengthen this type of education in the country.

Regarding maternal deaths, he recognized that many of these are avoidable and that there is a challenge to work to achieve it.

However, he indicated that this year the indicators of maternal death improved compared to 2021 because they decreased by 30 percent, according to official data.

He stressed that there are good protocols and laws in the country and that for them to be applied, supervision needs to be improved.