Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Cape Verdean President today called for the country’s mobilization to combat gender-based violence, which he classifies as a “significant obstacle” to development, on the day that two weeks of public activities on the topic begin.
“Gender-based violence persists as a stain on our society, an intolerable violation of human rights and a significant obstacle to the sustainable development of the country”, said José Maria Neves in a communication alluding to the topic.
The head of state highlighted the motto adopted this year by the United Nations for the 16 days of activism on the subject: “United, invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.
“This motto is a call to action for all of us, regardless of age, gender or social status”, because “Cape Verde must always be committed to strengthening laws and public policies on this issue”.
Violence against women is also classified by José Maria Neves as “a wound in the soul” of Cape Verdean society that requires general involvement to heal, “empowering women, educating men and promoting relationships based on mutual respect”.
The normalization of violence, by aggressors who do not distinguish it as a violation of human rights, is one of the biggest concerns of organizations working on the problem, said Marisa Carvalho, president of the Cape Verdean Institute for Gender Equality and Equity ( ICIEG), in an interview with Lusa, on Friday.
The Cape Verdean President also alludes to this aspect, considering it important to “challenge harmful social norms, which perpetuate inequality” and “create an environment where women can feel free to report cases of violence”, he concluded.
The number of new cases in Cape Verdean courts related to crimes of gender-based violence increased by 5.7% in the last judicial year (2022-23) compared to the previous year, standing at 1,971, according to the Public Ministry.
With these entries and the cases that were unresolved, the number of pending cases increased by 16.2% in the last judicial year, reaching 2,688.
Gender-based crimes generally include physical, family or dating violence, domestic, psychological, emotional or sexual violence, with women being the main victims. The Week with Lusa
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
