Shelters for women and their children will receive fewer resources in 2023

Carolina Gomez Mena

Newspaper La Jornada
Sunday, September 11, 2022, p. 6

Although the 2023 budget proposal for the Support Program for Specialized Shelters for Women Victims of Gender Violence, their Daughters and Sons considers an increase of just over 5 percent, said increase is lower than inflation, which –of according to data from the Bank of Mexico as of September 9 – is 7.49 percent, he told the day Wendy Figueroa Morales, director of the National Network of Shelters (RNR).

The feminist psychologist indicated that, if this amount is approved, the shelters will actually receive a little less than the current year, which indicates that there is no real recognition of the contexts of violence in which women live.

He explained that according to the 2023 budget package, presented this week, the scheme 443 million 719 thousand 953 pesos are assigned to it. Our first reflection when comparing the budget for this year 2022, which is 420 million 203 thousand 440 pesos, is that there is an increase of 5.3 percent, which is undoubtedly recognized, but it continues to be not in line with inflation..

If that amount is guaranteed for 75 prevention, care and protection spaces for women and children in situations of violence, the scheme will actually operate with 1.05 percent less than the current year.

government commitment

He specified that it not only continues to reflect that budgets are determined without considering inflationbut also continues lacking a look and recognition of the realities and contexts of violence and transgressions experienced by women in Mexico and, of course, totally removed from human rights and from putting women at the center of budgets.

in the RNR We continue to insist on having dialogue tables to build progressive, guaranteeing budgets with a gender perspective. It is essential to see in the budgets the commitment of the governments; We keep saying it: a democratic country with a full rule of law does not ignore the increase in sexist violence against women.

The feminist group highlighted that the violence against them could not be reduced in the country. June data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System shows that from January to June 2022, 479 femicides were reported and 1,398 women killed by intentional homicide. Mexico remains at the figure of 10 women murdered per day, and the average was exceeded in the last month, reported with 12 daily.

The RNR regretted that the investigation of serious crimes and the complaint processes continue to be marked by the absence of a gender and human rights perspective, becoming an obstacle to access to comprehensive justice for women, girls and adolescents.