Justice Nancy I. Salcedo Fernández, judge of the Supreme Court of Justice and coordinator of the Commission for Gender Equality of the Judicial Branch, presented the accountability report corresponding to the year 2023, in which she highlighted the advances in gender issues of this branch of the State and the challenges to be assumed for the coming year.
In taking stock of the management, the magistrate highlighted the good practices and hard work carried out by the Commission, the sub-commissions for gender equality, the Directorate of Inclusive Justice and by each of the courts, departments and judicial servants involved in the work.
Among the most significant achievements in 2023 that the Judiciary can showcase in terms of gender, he cited the following: obtaining the Equalizing DR Seal recognition, Gold category, organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); qualitative strengthening of the gender subcommissions through studies of sentences related to sexual violations, femicides and incest; holding events to commemorate March 8 and November 25, and strengthening the presence of the Commission and subcommissions in all gender activities inside and outside the country.
Other actions in 2023 included the presentation of the electronic book "Opening Space for Equity", a compendium of writings by judges on gender issues; 17 meetings with the Gender Commission and sub-commissions, participation in international events, follow-up reports on international conventions ratified by the Dominican State on issues of human rights and access to justice for the population in vulnerable conditions and inter-institutional actions.
Also, the implementation of the protocol for dealing with sexual and/or labor harassment; the international meeting of women magistrates of the highest courts held in Argentina, at which a declaration was signed defining the work themes for the year 2024.
Also the virtual meeting with the Justice and Gender Foundation; incorporation of the ribbon to the clothing of judges and lawyers on the bench; participation in the proclamation of the International Day of Women Judges by the General Assembly of the United Nations; participation in the IV Ibero-American Gender Conference, the OAS/CICAD gender project on gender study on access to justice 2019-2021.
Regarding the initiatives of the sub-commissions, Magistrate Nancy Salcedo also explained that they held talks and workshops at the national level on topics such as freedom and opportunities, breast cancer, criminal responsibility and prevention of violence aimed at school students, women deprived of their liberty and meetings with judges. Activities were also carried out to disseminate the Equalizing DR Seal for the Public Sector.
He also emphasized that 42,987 users had access to the Justice and Gender Observatory by November 2023.
The Commission also participated in the First International Constitutional Fair on the Family and Equality, and in the colloquium "Emblematic rulings of Constitutional Courts and Tribunals that protect and guarantee family unity, children, adolescents and equality between women and men".
The magistrate stated that the commitments assumed by the Judiciary for good practices allowed it to continue on the right path. In this regard, she highlighted the importance of the Guide of Good Practices for the handling of cases of gender and domestic violence.
With great joy, Salcedo said that this year's achievements have transcended and are evidence of everyone's commitment.
Judge Vanessa Acosta, deputy coordinator of the Commission for Gender Equality and judge of the Supreme Court of Justice, said that every judge and judicial servant has a moral and institutional commitment to continue working for gender equality and secure access to justice.
Meanwhile, Rosa Iris Linares, secretary of the Commission for Gender Equality and director of Inclusive Justice of the Judicial Branch, presented the proposal of actions for the year 2024, among which she mentioned the preparations for the International Women's Day, the elaboration of the Protocol of Attention and Dignified Treatment for Women Victims of Violence, with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID).
Likewise, the publication of the study on access to justice with a gender perspective conducted by OAS/CICAD; publication of the analysis of sentences on incest, femicide and rape handed down by the courts in the 2020-2022 period; as well as the coordination of preparations for the commemoration of the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, among other proposals.
Linares called for greater sensitivity on the part of all system operators who intervene in cases of gender-based violence.
At the meeting, Justice Kenya Romero, member of the Commission for Gender Equality, said that this accountability report shows all the efforts and activities carried out by the Commission and sub-commissions for Gender Equality of the Judiciary at the national level.
The activity, which took place on the second floor of the Real Estate Registry, was attended by judges from different departmental gender sub-commissions, representatives of mediation centers, interview centers, civil society and other organizations that fight for non-violence against women and inclusion, such as the Patronato de Apoyo a Casos de Mujeres Maltratadas, Vida sin Violencia, Círculo de Mujeres con Discapacidad, Alianza por la Discapacidad.
