Violence against women in Uruguay “continues to be a widespread phenomenon”

Despite Uruguay’s efforts to prevent and combat violence against women, such as the approval of a law on this subject, the creation of the Observatory on Gender-Based Violence against Women, the classification of femicide as an aggravating factor of homicide, and the increase of the number of shelters, “violence against women continues to be a widespread phenomenon” in the South American nation.

This is highlighted by the sixth Human Rights Committee report on Uruguay, which indicates that during the past year 30 femicides and 38,925 complaints of domestic violence were registered in the country, and that the budget for the effective implementation of the measures of the Law on Violence against Women based on Gender has still not been allocated.

It also highlights that judicial operators, police forces and health and social assistance personnel still do not have the “specific education and training to address violence against women from a human rights perspective, and that there is still “Obstacles in access to justice for victims of violence and for reparation to the families as direct victims.”

Consequently, the Committee urged Uruguay to provide “financial, technical and human resources” for the “prevention, protection, punishment and reparation of violence against women throughout its territory.”

Similarly, he called for training public officials, such as judges, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement officers and health personnel, among others, so that they can detect, process and investigate cases of violence against women and facilitate the filing of complaints. by the victims.

The number of people deprived of liberty is growing

Although the body of independent experts “takes note of the efforts” that were made to implement “the new Code of Criminal Procedure” and “the efforts to reduce overcrowding in prisons”, together with “the proposal for the Plan to combat recidivism and in favor of rehabilitation”, they expressed their concern about the “significant and growing number of people deprived of liberty”.

The committee highlighted the strong increase in the number of women in this condition and that only 33% of the prisoners have a final sentence, while 67% of the prosecuted persons remain in preventive detention for prolonged periods together with the convicted persons, a situation contrary to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights .

Likewise, it indicates a “considerable increase in deaths in custody”, “which the level of overcrowding in prisons is 135%” and highlights “heas insufficient reintegration and rehabilitation conditions” that cause the percentage of overcrowding to remain constant.

For this reason, he asked Uruguay to increase its efforts to separate people who are in preventive detention from those convicted, guarantee the investigation of all cases of deaths in custody and reduce overcrowding and the high percentage of people in preventive detention.

Unsplash/Jovaughn Stephens

A journalist covers a demonstration.

Threats and restrictions on the freedom of expression of journalists increase

With regard to freedom of expression, it urges Uruguay to “redouble its efforts to prevent threats and restrictions on freedom of expression against journalists, as well as guarantee that all allegations relating to journalists are promptly, exhaustively, independently and impartially investigated. such acts of intimidation.

At the same time, it calls for “guaranteeing and respecting the rights of assembly and demonstration of the population, the political class and civil society organizations”

The report of the Human Rights Committee deals with other issues such as discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; gender equality, domestic violence and violence against women; the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy and Reproductive Rights; the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment; human trafficking; and the situation of migrants, refugees, stateless persons and asylum seekers.

The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its States Parties.