At present, there is no access to official data about the geriatric nursing homes in the province of Córdoba.

From FUNDEPS, we have submitted a request for information to RUGE.PRE.SA, (Registry of Units for the Management of Health Benefits), a body under the Ministry of Health of the Province, responsible, among other things, for regulating and monitoring habilitations of residences for the elderly.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

In the presentation, we required that you inform about the number of residences for elderly people that were in operation in the province of Córdoba; what were the control or monitoring mechanisms on the authorized institutions; and about the control procedures regarding non-qualified institutions, detailing how to proceed in these cases.

The regulations provide for the possibility of presenting these requests for information by the citizenry in order to take cognizance of the acts of the State and, as established by provincial law No. 8803, the State must respond within 10 working days. Having expired this deadline and no response, we present a prompt dispatch whose response period also expired without having been answered.

It is a duty of the State to make this information publicly accessible. We insist on the importance of the publicity of these data, in order to be able to exercise a better control and make visible situations of irregularity. Even more so if we take into account that what is being affected are the rights of a vulnerable group, as are institutionalized older people.

The situation is even more worrying, if we take into account that at the national level there are no unifying norms and establish basic requirements to be met by these residences and that they determine a minimum of rights to be guaranteed in any geriatric residence in the country; on the contrary, the requirements and conditions that a geriatric residence will have to meet to be qualified, depends exclusively on what the local governments establish, which causes great differences among the provinces.

In the Province of Córdoba, Law No. 8,677 and Decree No. 657/09 regulate the operation of private geriatric residences with special emphasis on the physical issues of the establishment, but without advancing on the quality of care. The law does not make considerations regarding the perspective of human rights, socio-health issues and the status of subjects of the people who reside there. As for public residences, it is noted that there are no regulations in the province that regulate them, thus constituting a regulatory gap in this regard.

In a scenario characterized by inequality and an institutional infrastructure still insufficient in terms of protection and exercise of human rights, providing effective responses to accelerated population aging is one of the most important challenges facing the Argentine State and the region. The recent ratification by the Argentine State of the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons, could mean an opportunity to do so.

We must insist that the road to travel is still long. On the one hand, public policies that are designed to reclaim and promote the empowerment of older people are essential. Not only to enable their full participation in the social, economic, cultural and family life of countries, but also to encourage social processes of review of perceptions and representations, generally negative, linked to old age. On the other, it is necessary to think about strategies that allow aging to be positioned at the center of public debate in order to give visibility and interest to a topic that has historically been ignored.

In short, the correct attitudes and policies in this regard will facilitate society’s effective use of the potential of the elderly, thus consolidating the path aimed at the construction of a more inclusive society, where everyone finds their role and opportunities, in tune with your wishes and needs.

We continue to demand the response of the corresponding agencies, while we hope that public policies aimed at full compliance with the human rights of the elderly will be developed.

Author:

Maga Ailén Merlo Vijarra

Contact:

Agustina Mozzoni, agustinamozzoni@fundeps.org

Women raised their voices throughout the country. In Córdoba, this June 4, more than 60 thousand women filled the streets in a new mobilization.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

As for four years ago, yesterday the most emblematic mobilization of the women’s movement in our country took place.
This year the cry of Ni Una Menos was given in the framework of the debate on the legalization of abortion in Argentina and the main slogan was the claim for legal abortion, safe and free. It was the last mass mobilization before the debate in the Chamber of Deputies, which will take place on June 13: the last great pañuelazo.
But in addition to claiming that there is not one or less for clandestine abortions, women reinforced the historic claim of this date: enough femicides and sexist violence. The same day the Supreme Court of Justice made public the report of the Public Registry of Femicide of the Argentine Justice, which establishes that 251 direct victims of femicide were surveyed in the whole country during the year 2017. So far in 2018, the province of Córdoba already counts 9 victims.

Other struggles were also present, struggles from other latitudes: the recent conquest of Ireland by the referendum that opened the doors to the legalization of abortion was recognized, the Brazilian Councilor Marielle Franco was reminded, mass mobilizations were held against the Spanish justice that acquitted “the herd” and honored the Honduran environmental defender, Berta Cáceres.
Within the local demands, a larger budget was required for public policies to eradicate violence against women, better working conditions for women workers in this sector, access to justice for victims of gender violence and secular, scientific and sexual education. with a gender perspective.
Along with the claim for legal abortion, the delay of the Cordovan justice was denounced by not issuing around the judicialization of the provincial protocol for access to non-punishable abortion, which has been partially suspended for 6 years, profoundly impeding the right of women to access sexual and reproductive health services.
It was also emphatically claimed for the rights of the collective of sexual diversity, exclaiming loudly: enough of machismo, misogyny and homolesbobitransodio.
Lastly, Cordovan women, at a clear disadvantage due to the wage gap, raised their voices against fares and pension and labor reforms that deepen this inequality.

The revolutionary women’s movement again filled the streets and their cry was resounding: Live, free and with all the rights we want!

Photo: Assembly NiUnaMenos Córdoba

Author 

Mayca Balaguer

Contact

Virginia Pedraza – vir.pedraza@fundeps.org

On May 31, the Open Argentina Forum took place in the City of Mendoza. It is a space for debate that takes place annually since 2016 and proposes the exchange of ideas and experiences around the theme of open government. In the 2018 edition, FUNDEPS participated in a panel on sustainable development, open government and natural resources.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

Argentina Abierta was conceived as a space that brings together students, journalists, public officials, entrepreneurs, civil society organizations and anyone willing to participate. It was designed to exchange initiatives that promote the creation of modern, inclusive and sustainable public policies.

The goal is for government teams and citizens to share experiences, develop their ideas and knowledge, listen to opinions and discuss transparency, accountability, new technologies, public innovation and open data.

It is a national forum to discuss open government policies that encourage issues of transparency in the public sector, citizen participation and collaboration in modernization policies. On May 31, the third edition was held. Last year was made in Córdoba and this year was held in Mendoza. This last province, together with Córdoba and Buenos Aires, has been at the forefront of the implementation of policies with these characteristics.

Going around the event a bit …

In the 2018 edition, Argentina Abierta lasted only one day, unlike previous years when the event was longer. However, that time was enough to include panels of the most diverse and comprehensive in terms of the thematic axes of open government: transparency, participation and collaboration.

There was discussion about access to public information and publication of data, open academy and opening in the legislative and judicial powers. Likewise, the event counted with the presence of conversations regarding the application of open government policies at the subnational level and for this were present representatives of the governments of the City of Mendoza, City of Godoy Cruz, City of Córdoba, City of Buenos Aires , Province of Mendoza, Province of Córdoba, Province of Buenos Aires, Province of Santa Fe; among other relevant actors.
Likewise, it is necessary to highlight the presence of civil society organizations, who not only supported the concretion and realization of the event (Nuestra Mendoza and CLADH), but also actively participated in the panels and discussions with public officials. This was the case of FUNDEPS, who was participating in a panel specifically related to issues of open government, sustainable development and natural resources. Said panel was also composed of representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Nation.

Part of the innovation proposed by this forum is given by the incorporation of new dynamics for the debate. Particularly, and as regards the issues of open government, innovation and e-government, the LABS are positioned as an alternative that allows to discuss and reach solutions at the moment. During this edition of Argentina Abierta, labs were held to discuss budget issues, citizen participation, security and data.

What the Forum left us …

In this event 9 provinces, 6 countries and more than 50 organizations and institutions participated. 12 panels were carried out, 24 hall talks and more than 900 people were present. During that day, the community of people dedicated to open government debated and shared experiences to improve public management, make it more transparent and close to citizens. From FUNDEPS we appreciate the fact that we have been able to take part and consider the discussions on these issues to be substantial.

Author / contact

Agustina Palencia – agustinapalencia@fundeps.org

From the Ministry of Health of the Nation developed an action plan that includes representatives of different sectors, in order to push the ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) by the Argentine State, an international health treaty public with members from 180 countries and that Argentina has not yet ratified.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

On April 24, a new meeting of the National Commission for the Coordination of Tobacco Control took place. The event was attended by representatives of about 40 organizations that include government agencies, NGOs, scientific societies, among others.

Among the conclusions of this first event, the following stand out:

  • A national law is not enough, the ratification of the (FCTC) provides tools, measures and mechanisms of international cooperation that can not be replaced by national policies: the protection of small producers, the interference of industry and illegal trade, for example , can not be fully covered by national legislation. If we do not ratify the FCTC, Argentina is left out of the international assistance provided by the FCTC to its members and we are damaging with other countries in the region.
  • The FCTC is not against small producers, on the contrary, articles 17 and 18 of the agreement focus on protecting small producers in the diversification of their crops. The ratification has a gradual implementation of its measures in order to protect small producers. In addition, the example of other countries that ratified is that there was no impact on the cultivation of tobacco.
  • It was recalled that before the international community, ratification facilitates the entry of Argentina into the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This claim does not come only from public health institutions.

For several years, several monitoring bodies of international human rights treaties have been recommending that the Argentine State ratify this treaty. Indeed, the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) have emphasized that for the adequate protection of the right to health in general and in particular of populations such as women, children and girls, Argentina should ratify the FCTC.

Together with other civil society organizations, such as FIC Argentina, we present shadow reports to these human rights committees. As examples, the CESCR recommended “the State party to ratify and implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control”. For its part, CEDAW expressed concern about the “high tobacco consumption among girls compared to boys”. By virtue of this, It recommended to Argentina “ratify the Framework Agreement of the World Health Organization for Tobacco Control”.

As part of this action plan, a Declaration was sent from FUNDEPS, the creation of an executive committee and the holding of periodic meetings is foreseen. In this sense it is valid to clarify that Senator Silvina García Larraburu presented a bill before the Congress that seeks to ratify the Convention.

Contact

Agustina Mozzoni, <agustinamozzoni@fundeps.org>

The Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies (FUNDEPS) and the Civil Association Communication for Equality present a report on the functioning of public policies on gender and communication, from the assumption of the current national government.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

At the beginning of 2016, from the Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies and the Civil Association Communication for Equality, a report called “Violence against women and public communication policies” was produced, which gives an account of the state of public policies on communication and gender in Argentina and the state bodies that, until the end of 2015, were in charge of implementing them. That report was based on an extensive investigation that gathered data through formal requests, formulated in the exercise of the right to access information; complaints to the corresponding bodies in cases of media and symbolic violence and interviews with members of these bodies and civil society organizations.

In 2018, we made a report on the application of such policies from the assumption of the current national government. In it, the main changes evidenced in the last two years are analyzed, based on the information obtained through new requests for information formulated before the corresponding bodies during the year 2017 and through interviews and information search through the official channels of each dependency.

The bodies studied are: ENACOM, Public Defender, INAM, INADI, Observatory of Discrimination in Radio and TV, Office of Monitoring of Publication of Notices of Sexual Commerce.

The measures and public policies implemented by these organizations had modifications. Although some that can be considered advances, many others weaken the achievements made in the protection of the audiences, mainly of the vulnerable sectors; both from a gender perspective and from the right to communication as a human right.

The analysis carried out aims to account for the transformations in the field of communication, specifically in relation to gender issues, during the last two years and since the change in government management in December 2015. In line with the changes that followed public communication policies from then on, the specific areas linked to gender also underwent transformations that, although not yet completely defined, imply for several of the agencies a brake on the programs that were carried out and, after two years after the start of the new administration, it is not clear yet what will be the future direction of the public communication and gender policies that were developed in Argentina as of 2010.

Main conclusions

  • Although the decrees and resolutions that have affected Law 26,522 on Audiovisual Communication Services do not directly operate on gender policies, the actions of several of the State agencies dedicated to the implementation of these policies have undergone modifications. Some of them represent advances, but others weaken the achievements made in the protection of the audiences.
  • The defiance of the Ombudsman’s Office -one of the relevant bodies in the application of communication and gender policies, and with international recognition- is one of the negative aspects of the paradigm that we call “transition” in current communication and gender policies from Argentina. In spite of this accretion, the organism continues to operate successfully within the permitted margins.
  • We also negatively evaluate the lack of access to information by ENACOM, which accounts for the obstacles existing for the purposes of monitoring the actions of state bodies by citizens. However, we value the action of the same -evaluated through indirect mechanisms- which is revealed in an increase in resolutions and in the consideration of the rights of women and the LGTBI community as autonomous causes of violation of rights.
  • There seems to be a transformation in the functions of the Office of Monitoring of Sexual Offer Notices that would cease to exercise its sanctioning capacity and focusing its actions only on digital media and assistance to the Judicial Power.
  • The Observatory for Discrimination in Radio and Television was dissolved informally, a tripartite body with an outstanding performance during the last 10 years; neither is it possible to access the pedagogical heritage generated by it.
  • The Observatory of Symbolic and Mediatic Violence was created within the scope of INAM, with competence in all types of media.
  • INAM expanded its action in communication policies through the National Plan of Action against Violence with policies that have not yet been delivered in a measurable manner.
  • The draft laws of convergent communications from different political sectors have included almost nil considerations of gender, although they have had a relative receptivity towards the proposals that have been sent to them from civil society.

More information

Contacto

Virginia Pedraza – vir.pedraza@fundeps.org

Sandra Chaher – sandrachaher@comunicarigualdad.com.ar

The private arm of the BID began the process of public consultation of its Access to Information Policy, which will be extended for 120 days and includes virtual and face-to-face consultations. This policy is key to being able to access information about the projects financed by the Institution, which is substantially expanding its portfolio of projects in Argentina and Latin America.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

BID Invest (previously called the Inter-American Investment Corporation) is the arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that is responsible for financing and advising companies and sustainable projects of the private sector that come from and are developed in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. It has a portfolio of US $ 11,200 million in assets under management and 330 clients in 23 countries.

Currently, BID Invest is updating one of its operational policies. To this end, a draft of the new Access to Information Policy has been prepared, which will replace its current Information Availability Policy (in force since 2005) in 2019. It is around this draft (which is available in the BID Invest website) that the public consultation will be held, open to all international civil society. The draft was opened for consultation on May 23 and will receive comments for a period of 120 days.

In turn, the consultation will include virtual and face-to-face dialogues. The virtual consultation will be available through the BID Invest website, and face-to-face consultations will be carried out through meetings (whose dates are yet to be confirmed) in several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Washington DC, where the body has its headquarters.

From FUNDEPS we will participate in this process of public consultation, reviewing the draft and sending comments to the Bank, in order to ensure that this new policy is framed in a true commitment to transparency in the exercise of its activities and to strengthen its governance and responsibility.

More information

Author

Agustina Palencia

Contact

Gonzalo Roza – gon.roza@fundeps.org

We present a document that addresses the legal and socio-environmental foundations related to the realization of the mountain motorway. Motivated by the great concern in the design, promotion and execution of public policies related to the protection of the right to a healthy and balanced environment, commenting on the legality and convenience of the project “Alternative to National Route N ° 38: Costa Azul Bridge- The Summit – Costa Azul Section – Cosquín “.

The comments presented here aim to highlight positive aspects and improve, with respect to the guidelines for the Consultation Phase.

During the month of April, the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) published new guidelines for improvement in its Consultation Phase. It was a participatory process that involved different civil society organizations in the revision of the first draft.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

The Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) is the entity in charge of receiving complaints regarding any project financed by the IDB Group. In this sense, any group of two or more people that is affected by a project financed by these institutions, can go to the mechanism in search of a solution. It should be noted that the complaints submitted should be about non-compliance with the bank’s operational policies and not about other national and / or international regulations.

In order to carry out its task, the ICIM has two functions or phases: (a) Verification of the Observance and (b) Consultation. The complainant may choose to use one or both functions. Verification of the Observance is carried out by the MICI exclusively and it is an investigation regarding the violation of any of the bank’s operational policies. The Consultation involves both those who file the complaint and the party that has taken the loan. This last function is a process similar to mediation and its objective is to achieve consensus among the parties involved to arrive at a solution.

On this second phase, the MICI elaborated a document for internal use that aims to improve the complaint process for those who decide to use this function of the mechanism. In this regard, it should be mentioned that this function must specifically address the needs of the parties involved and the context of the complaint. In these new guidelines, special attention was paid to the affected communities that file the complaint, as well as to the risks and dangers in which they may be involved. This is particularly important since the last few years have made it clear that human rights defenders live in a situation of constant danger.

In this sense, the presentation of a complaint before the ICIM can turn into something that can put at risk the life and / or safety of those who come to the mechanism. The new guidelines try to address this issue by arguing that the ICIM must act in the face of power imbalances, and at the same time ensure that the mediation process is appropriate to the needs of the parties. Within this logic, the guidelines propose to approach the consultation phase attending to six (6) very important principles: (a) the Co-Design of the processes, (b) the Action without Damage, (c) the Good Faith, (d) ) Voluntariness, (e) Sustainability and (f) Attention to Symmetries.

It follows from the latter that the aim of delineating these rules is to improve considerably the complaint process, while strengthening the general policy of the ICIM. We consider that this is a fundamental step in the adoption of better standards that guarantee the rendering of accounts of the financial institutions and the access to an effective remedy by the affected communities. Likewise, we applaud the adoption of these guidelines in consultation with civil society organizations. That made it clear that the MICI is willing to receive feedback from those who position themselves as users of the mechanism and who have been able to glimpse the shortcomings that the processes may have.

More information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza – gon.roza@fundeps.org

Agustina Palencia – agustinapalencia@fundeps.org

Together with the Civil Association Communication for Equality we present a report on the functioning of public policies on gender and communication, from the assumption of the current national government.

We were participating in the C20 meeting, a civil society affinity group for the G20 process. In it, we coordinated the discussions of the investment and infrastructure work group, and participated in meetings with authorities.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

On the occasion of the Argentine presidency of the G20 -which brings together the governments of the 20 largest economies in the world-, the meeting of the civil society group, called C20, took place on April 4 and 5 in Buenos Aires. It is organized into 8 working groups that address the following agendas: anti-corruption; architecture of the international financial system; education, employment and inclusion; environment, climate and energy; gender; global local; global health; and investment and infrastructure.

Within the working group of investment and infrastructure, the discussion was oriented to elaborate recommendations for the G20 governments, especially for the Argentine government for being leading the forum during 2018. Thus, issues concerning responsible investments were debated, with a focus in the impact of business activity on human rights, and different aspects related to infrastructure projects -financial, environmental, accountability, participation, among others-. These discussions began in March, through the online forum of the working group, and will continue in the same way for the elaboration of the conclusions as a group.

Likewise, during the second day, we participated in a meeting with Matías Mondino, Infrastructure Director of the Ministry of Finance and representative before the G20 infrastructure group. During the meeting, in addition to knowing about the government’s agenda for its G20 presidency on investments, the concerns of the organizations present in this regard were expressed about investments in infrastructure and public-private partnerships.

The result of the discussions held during the two days, will be reflected in a working document to be presented at the C20 summit to be held on August 6 and 7 in Buenos Aires. It is expected that the recommendations made by civil society will be taken by governments and reflected within the commitments of the G20. The purpose of the C20 process is to promote economic and financial policies that are attentive to the duties of the states in the area of ​​human rights, including in their agenda transparency and accountability.

More information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza – gon.roza@fundeps.org

Carolina Tamagnini – carotamagnini@fundeps.org

During the VIII Summit of the Americas that took place in Lima, Peru, presidents of the region discussed corruption, the governance of our peoples and economic and social sustainability. For the first time at the Summit, health is on the agenda.

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Corruption, obstacles to democratic governance, lack of transparency, and difficulties in implementing public social policies are all factors that negatively impact the health systems of the region and conspire against the development of the communities of the Americas. The four main noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) are the main cause of disease, disability and preventable death in the world in general and in the region of the Americas in particular. They are responsible for 70% of deaths.

The costs of these diseases constitute a significant burden for health budgets and national economies. These diseases reduce economic productivity, overload health systems and promote individual and family poverty. It is not possible to build a sustainable and functional economy if disability and premature deaths due to NCDs remain so high and costly for governments.

That is why civil society organizations in the region, based in the Healthy Latin American Coalition (CLAS), asked presidents present at the Summit to implement concrete measures to protect the health of the population without the interference of the industry. These measures include fiscal policies that increase the price of unhealthy products (cigarettes, sugary drinks, among others) to discourage consumption; the implementation of front labeling in foods that provide clear and useful information to consumers, among others. In parallel, CLAS asks presidents to make an appointment with health and attend the UN High Level Meeting on NCD on September 27, 2018 in New York City.

About CLAS

It is an alliance of more than 250 non-governmental organizations in Latin America whose purpose is to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in this region. Its members include medical societies, patient organizations, health NGOs, consumer NGOs, religious and academic entities. Founded in March 2011, it is aimed at reducing inequality, promoting human rights, and promoting effective policies with an impact on the risk factors and determinants of NCD. Its objective is to strengthen the action of civil society to prevent and control NCDs in the region through political advocacy, education, awareness and research, at the national and regional levels, so that effective policies are implemented, in line with the objectives of the United Nations (UN) and PAHO-WHO. It is an initiative of the Inter-American Heart Foundation.

Contact

Agustina Mozzoni, agustinamozzoni@fundeps.org