,

Global Meeting of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development

“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”

From October 7 to 9, 2017, the 2017 Meeting of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development was held, a global coalition of social movements, civil society organizations and community groups of which we are part, and which works to ensure that all institutions that finance development respect, protect and fulfill human rights.

The agenda of the meeting focused on strengthening the relations of Coalition members and allies, closely examining the current development model, identifying strategies and modes of collaboration to successfully address it, and setting priorities and key initiatives for the next two years. This, after a 2016 where the work of the Coalition and its members was very active (see Coalition’s Impact Report 2016).

Over the course of three days, more than 60 participants from various regions of the world participated in discussions, activities and strategic discussions around a number of key issues. Among them, we sought to share experiences, challenges, lessons learned, and future needs around community participation partnerships; efforts were made to establish priorities for collective action and to strengthen the Coalition’s connections, collaborations and campaigns, and progress was made in the elaboration of a Collective Action Plan.

Within this framework, some global advocacy goals were selected, such as strengthening gender work and development finance or monitoring Chinese funding for development projects. Specific institutional focuses were also established, such as the New BRICS Development Bank or the Inter-American Development Bank.

More information

– Coalition’s Impact Report 2016

– Web page of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development

Contact

Juan Carballo / Executive Director of FUNDEPS

juanmcarballo@fundeps.org

,

Health and law: internship at the O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University

“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”

FUNDEPS, in collaboration with the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University and the Faculty of Law of the National University of Cordoba, announces renewal of the internship program.

Convening institutions

– O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center

– Faculty of Law of the National University of Córdoba

– FUNDEPS – Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies

Requirements for presentation

– To be registered as a regular student of the career of Advocacy in the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the National University of Cordoba.

– Have passed or are studying Public International Law.

– Have a general average, with deferrals, of 7 or more points.

– Have excellent written and oral English language skills.

Selection Mechanism

– Deadline for submission of applications: 28 October 2017.

– A Selection Committee of the UNC will select a list of five to seven pre-selected persons, who will be invited to an interview to be held in English on October 31, 2017 at the UNC Law School, instead of confirm.

– On November 1, 2017 the UNC Selection Committee will send a list of three to five people to the O’Neill Institute for National whose team will decide the person selected to complete the internship.

– The selected person must participate, during November and December, in training activities on the human right to health, in the human rights area of ​​FUNDEPS.

Documentation to be submitted

– Letter of motivation in English justifying the application to the internship program of the O’Neill Institute

– Detailed curriculum vitae in English, no more than 3 pages

– Scanned copy of the analytical certificate (not electronic version)

* The materials must be sent in digital format in a single file in Acrobat Reader (.pdf format) to the address: info@fundeps.org, indicating in the subject: O’Neill Call – “Name of the candidate”.

Selection criteria

– Average.

– Interest in the area of ​​the right to health or human rights.

– Academic research experience.

– Experience working in civil society organizations.

– English level.

Financing

– The consideration given by the O’Neill Institute during the months of the rented internship (January, February and March) allows lodging and living expenses during those months as well as the tickets from Cordoba to Washington, DC.

– FUNDEPS makes available an honor credit for those who need support to cover the anticipated payment of the air ticket, under conditions to be determined.

For application send an email to info@fundeps.org

Informative talk: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at the Faculty of Law of the UNC (time to confirm via social networks)

Phone number: 03572-15666871 (Agustina Mozzoni)

More information about the O’Neill Institute.

,

Joint submission of reports to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Social

“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”

When a country ratifies an international human rights treaty, it undertakes to comply with the obligations set out therein. Many of these treaties establish mechanisms for accountability on the level of compliance with these obligations to be open to the participation of civil society. In this case, the obligations of Argentina under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) are reviewed before the CESCR. In collaboration with other civil society organizations in Argentina, we have approached critical observations, recommendations and questions through two reports: one more general about various aspects related to obligations in ESCR and another focused on the protection of the health of chronic noncommunicable diseases .

Structural report developed jointly with ACIJ

Together with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ), we produced a report during the month of August with comments on Argentina’s compliance with the rights enshrined in the ICESCR. This report is based on the report that Argentina presented to the Committee in late 2016 to report on the progress it has made in terms of these rights, so it is called “shadow report”.

In this instance, the CDESC opens the opportunity for civil society organizations to comment on the topics covered in the official reports and to suggest questions for members of the Committee to delve into sessions with representatives of the State. To these ends, from FUNDEPS and ACIJ we have presented data alternative to those provided by the government, in some points such as: production and quality of data on ESCR; access to justice in ESCR; education rights; right to inclusive education; right to health; right to gender equality; rights of environmental defenders; among other.

Report on the protection of the health of chronic noncommunicable diseases

Together with FIC Argentina, the O’Neill Institute and the Chair of Food Sovereignty of the School of Nutrition of the University of Buenos Aires, we present a report in which we warn about the situation of chronic diseases in Argentina; at the same time as we suggest to the State the adoption of some measures to reduce the consumption of tobacco products and unhealthy foods.

Measures such as limiting advertising aimed at children, adoption of simpler and more understandable nutrition labeling, tax increases, ratification by the Argentine State of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and adoption of measures particularly vulnerable groups.

The information presented and the questions asked to the State are that next year the final evaluation will be done, after giving Argentina a right of reply and civil society organizations to submit shadow reports again. The concluding observations that the Committee issues are tools to require the Argentine State to comply with human rights standards on ESCR.

More information

– Shadow report of FUNDEPS and ACIJ

– Official reports and other shadow reports

Contact

Carolina Tamagnini – carotamagnini@fundeps.org

,

Discussions on Independent Accountability Mechanisms in Greece

“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”

 

Last Wednesday, August 30, at the annual meeting of the Network of Independent Accountability Mechanisms(IAMNet) held this year in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, a roundtable discussion between representatives of the mechanisms and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on accountability agendas, including FUNDEPS. At the same time, a public outreach event was held to present the work of the IAMNet Network and the characteristics and mandates of the main accountability mechanisms of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), Inspection of the World Bank, the MICI of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB Group) or the CAO of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others.

For their part, the CSOs that participated in the event addressed opportunities and challenges in accountability in the IFIs and the work that has been done from civil society in accountability.

At the round table, a technical discussion was held around a key question regarding the function of this type of mechanism: “Can Dispute Resolution be compatible with Rights?”. Recall that most of the IFIs’ independent accountability mechanisms have a dispute resolution function for complaints from communities affected by projects funded by these financial institutions. In that regard, the current problems of the dispute resolution process were discussed in the way it is currently being developed; and sought to address what an effective rights-based dispute resolution process should be, and what their outcomes should be.

On the other hand, in the days leading up to and after the aforementioned event, strategic meetings of two working groups were held that address issues and agendas related to our work at Fundeps. On 28 and 29 August the annual meeting of the EuroIFI network was held and on 31 August a strategic meeting of the IAWG (International Advocates Working Group) working group, of which we are part. The EuroIFI Network is an informal network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that focus their work on IFIs such as the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the Monetary Fund, among others. The IAWG is a network of NGOs around the world that share information, lessons learned, best practices and strategies around accountability mechanisms; and supports communities that complain to these mechanisms.

Our participation in these three events has been very useful, not only because we were able to share information and experiences in terms of accountability with key players in this agenda, but also because it has enabled us to know and acquire more information regarding specific cases of presentation of complaints to this kind of mechanisms. Moreover, in view of our work on accountability mechanisms, and in particular in relation to the ICIM and the advice we are giving to communities in Córdoba and Bolivia regarding the possible submission of complaints to the ICIM.

More information

– Network of Independent Accountability Mechanisms

– Video on the IAMnet network

– MICI website

– Inspection Panel website

– CAO website

– Glass Half Full. The state of accountability in development finance – Enero de 2016

Contact

Gonzalo Roza / Coordinador del Área de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org

,

We continue to build equality from the right

“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 reality of women in Argentina, urges that organizations take action, organize and strengthen their links. It is essential to generate collective strategies that can generate impacts that make visible the faults that women suffer in our country, such as access to justice, participation, the rights to a life free from violence, health, freedom, equality of opportunity, among many others.

The organizations and individuals that form part of the Abogadxs Alliance for Women’s Human Rights are meeting to discuss the achievements in recent years, the achievements and advances in the recognition of rights and their implementation. But we also put on the table the risks in the implementation of regressive policies, of strategies that continue reproducing the logics of gender inequality, and everything for which we have always struggled and have not yet reached.

That is why we focus our exchanges on two central themes: sexual and reproductive rights, and violence against women. In both areas of discussion we reach starting points for collective strategies, and we generate dynamics of mutual strengthening for those measures and actions that necessarily have to be diagrammed locally.

The human rights of women must be guaranteed by the State, and when this is not manifested in reality, the organizations will continue to carry out collective advocacy to demand that all people, regardless of gender, enjoy all rights and can live their lives without fear and in full freedom.

Contact

Virginia Pedraza, vir.pedraza@fundeps.org

,

70 years of female vote

“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”

 

However, in order to start being elected the process was very different. Only through the Act of Women’s Occupation in 1991, the representation of women began to be guaranteed by the State. This law allowed the structures of gender inequality to begin to be overcome. The numbers speak for themselves: before the law, women elected to public office in Congress did not exceed 6% of all seats. Today women occupy 41.7% in the Senate and 38.5% in Deputies. However, there is still a long way to go.

At present, although women make up more than half of the population, female representation does not reach 50% in any decision-making space. According to an investigation carried out by the Latin American Justice and Gender Team (ELA) on the elections, in 2017, there are very few lists that do not comply with the Women’s Act. However, the parties’ interpretation of its application has begun to transform itself into a roof over participation, rather than a guarantee tool.

In the provinces where a parity law has been implemented (Salta, Buenos Aires), the female representation has been higher, but this is not evident in the rest of the country. That is why it is necessary to generate mechanisms that can promote a real commitment to gender equality in political parties, as well as the implementation of a national law of parity that guarantees a representation of women that is in accordance with the social configuration of gender.

,

We participate in the Hack(at)ONG 2017

“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 participation of FUNDEPS in the 2017 edition of the Hack (at) ONG was hand in hand with our health team. Throughout the day of Saturday September 16, we decided to work on an application and web site that would allow better access to information about licensed geriatrics in the city and province of Cordoba.

Our proposal for this initiative was based on the aging of the population, coupled with structural changes produced in society that makes more and more families choose geriatric residences for care, attention and care of the elderly. This is a great challenge for the Argentine State: at present there are no national norms that unify demands for quality and care in these residences. Added to this, provincial norms in general only allude to building issues, within a regulation that is still far from conceiving of old age from a paradigm of human rights.

Within the framework of the Open Government movement, the Municipality of Cordoba and the Province of Cordoba have tried to improve their standards of transparency. The Municipality, today has an Open Government portal that has made available to the public a large amount of data and information. For this Hack (at) NGO 2017, we wanted to encourage better accessibility to information on geriatrics enabled in the Municipality and the Province, while promoting a collaborative type of tool between citizens and the government.

Using this information, we seek to promote the development of a public registry of public and private geriatrics qualified in the province of Cordoba, which also includes the results of the periodic inspections carried out in them.

Currently, there is a tool at the municipal level to find information about licensed geriatrics in the city of Córdoba. We considered that on this basis could be worked on including information at the provincial level, while generating a dynamic of operation of the registry in which the participation of citizenship is possible. The day ended then with a first draft of the tool in which it was possible to geolocalize the geriatrics of the City of Cordoba and map in the first instance some geriatric at the provincial level. It should be noted that today there is no public registry in the Province of Cordoba with this systematized information. In the future, we hope to achieve the publication of this information and its incorporation into the tool developed.

Contact

Agustina Palencia <agustinapalencia@fundeps.org>

,

#DemocraciaVIVA: 2nd edition of Democracy Day

“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 September 15 we celebrate the International Day of Democracy. Democracy is both a process and a goal, and only with the full participation and support of national governing bodies, civil society and individuals can the ideal of democracy become reality to be enjoyed by all, everywhere.

The celebration and commemoration of this day is presented as an opportunity to reflect on the state of democracies in the world. Precisely, international days seek to raise awareness, raise awareness, signal that there is an unresolved problem, an important and pending issue in societies. In this case, the day of democracy seeks to remember how relevant it is to ensure that states establish healthy regimes in which human rights find their place and are fully guaranteed and respected.

The celebration of this date was due to the fact that the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in its resolution A / 62/7 (2007) encouraged governments to strengthen national programs dedicated to promoting and consolidating democracy.

This date was first held in 2008. The date was chosen because it was precisely on 15 September 1997 that the world parliamentary organization “Inter-Parliamentary Union” adopted a Universal Declaration on Democracy which reaffirms its principles and the elements and practices necessary for a democratic government.

The world is currently attending a time when it is necessary to renew votes regarding democratic principles. Movements like the Alliance for Open Government specifically seek to aggiornar democratic principles, ensuring that they guarantee full citizen participation and respect for human rights.

  

  

Contact

Agustina Palencia, agustinapalencia@fundeps.org

,

Supreme Court confirms Ituzaingó ruling: agrochemicals SI make us sick

“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”

 

One of the major socio-environmental conflicts facing the province of Cordoba due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier is the application and irregular use of agrochemicals in fields close to homes, neighborhoods, schools or other human settlements. constitutes a great risk to the health of the exposed communities.

A case in point of affecting the human right to a healthy environment and health is that of neighbors and neighbors of Barrio Ituzaingó Anexo, who have been demanding respect for their rights for more than ten years. This neighborhood is located southeast of the City of Cordoba, bordering the north with an industrial zone and bordering with rural areas to the north, east and south. There are approximately 5000 people, who live in 1200 houses in 30 blocks.

In March 2002, it was the first time that a group of mothers worried about the health situation in the neighborhood began to complain to the authorities for the analysis of diseases and possible contaminants. This process of struggle that began since then was carried out by the group “Madres de Barrio Ituzaingó.

Although the process was long, as a result of the social struggle, neighbors and neighbors gained access to potable water through running water, building the Primary Health Care Unit, creating the Provincial Registry of Tumors and thus also achieved normative advances in environmental matters. In this last aspect, municipal ordinances were issued that established the “sanitary and environmental emergency” and prohibited aerial and terrestrial fumigations to less than 2,500 meters of any dwelling or group of dwellings), that finally resulted in the prohibition of fumigations throughout the ejido of the city (ordinances n ° 10505/2002, 10589/2003, 10590/2003).

The judicial process began in 2008 when neighbors made complaints denouncing the existence of diseases, abortions and malformations attributed to the fumigations that were carried out in the fields adjacent to their homes. After a lengthy judicial process, in August 2012 the First Criminal Chamber issued an unprecedented ruling on environmental pollution due to the use of pesticides in urban areas, condemning a producer and an agroaplicor pilot. On September 12, the Supreme Court of Justice was issued regarding the complaint filed by the defendants, rejecting the request and confirming the decision of the Crime Chamber.

We welcome the resolution issued by the Argentine Supreme Court and set a precedent for similar cases in which communities are violated their fundamental rights by the irregular application of agrochemicals. In this context, we also consider it necessary to comply with local regulations that have created zones of environmental protection and restrictions on the use of agrochemicals (such as Alta Gracia in which we work). Along these lines, we support the establishment of a national law on minimum environmental budgets, referring to the regulation of distances for the application of agrochemicals guided by the precautionary principle, which will establish a reference framework that will safeguard the fundamental rights to the environment and health.

More information

 – Public Health Driven by Agribusiness | El Entramado

Contact

 Male Martinez Espeche, malemartinez@fundeps.org

,

Amicus curiae in the process of guardianship of the Great Marsh of Santa Marta (Colombia)

“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”

 

We made a presentation before the Constitutional Court of Colombia to bring to the court legal arguments about the obligation of the state of the protection of the Great Marsh of Santa Marta. This Ciénaga is a deltaic system of wetlands located to the north of Colombia and is considered one of the most productive ecosystems of the Caribbean for its important hydrological and ecological characteristics. Despite their protected status, the Ciénaga and the fishermen who inhabit it have suffered for years the significant decrease in freshwater that feeds the ecoregion and the inadequate handling of soils and water basins. The deterioration of the Ciénaga is due to a structural crisis that has not been properly addressed by the different entities with competence in the area.

Faced with violations of fundamental rights, environmental degradation and the inaction of the competent authorities, on November 10, 2016, two inhabitants of the Palafitic peoples who live in the Ciénaga filed a protection action in coordination with Dejusticia. The action was filed against 26 public entities of the Colombian national and local order, as well as against private companies. The guardianship action focuses on three issues. The first of these consists of the excessive use of the water sources and the lands of the swamp by the agroindustry and the omission in the duty of control by the authorities. They have built dykes, dried up terrain, diverted rivers, but the response of the authorities has been insufficient. The second, addresses the lack of proper maintenance and dredging of rivers and streams that feed freshwater to the marsh. Although millions of contracts have been signed to carry out these activities, few results are visible. Finally, the tutelage warns about the infrastructure projects that are planned to be built on the ecoregion.

The 25 of November of 2016 the guardianship was admitted, the judge of first instance denied the action alleging its improbency. It was considered that, although the great deterioration of the Cienaga was evident, this situation had been attended through a popular action previously promoted by another citizen. This decision was contested and the ruling was confirmed in second instance on February 16, 2017 by the Civil and Agrarian Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia. In April of this year the case reaches the Constitutional Court of Colombia. In this instance we present an amicus curiae (Latin expression that refers to a friend of the court or friend of the court). The latter is a presentation made by a third party outside the litigation, where they voluntarily offer legal and / or technical arguments to collaborate with the court before the sentence.

We consider that the case requires a structural response, in which the different entities with competence over the region participate and dialogue, always guaranteeing the participation of the communities. We believe that this is an ideal case to carry forward a model of dialogic justice in Colombia, to seek a structural solution to the problem, to hold public hearings where all parties involved have the possibility of being heard and that control is carried out active by the State. Similar statements have been made in cases in which we have been working as in the situation of contamination of the treatment plant for liquid effluent from the Bajo Grande WWTP or in the conflict over the operation of the Porta plant.

Wetlands are an important food, shelter and breeding site for a wide variety of wild species, and their protection and conservation are of particular importance. In addition, there are numerous international treaties that require active policies to protect the environment and the communities that live there. The Constitutional Court has the opportunity to establish clear guidelines regarding the protection of the human right to a healthy environment for a site of key environmental importance, as well as for vulnerable populations. In this sense, it is necessary that the Court and civil society follow up judiciously and permanently to the orders that are given in the sentence to verify the situation of the affected communities.

We support and promote the initiatives of participation of all the actors in the structural processes of modification of public policies.

Image credit

Dejusticia

More information

Constitutional Court has last word to save Big Marsh of Santa Marta | Dejusticia

Contact

Victoria Gerbaldo – victoriagerbaldo@fundeps.org

Juan Carballo – juanmcarballo@fundeps.org

,

Presentation of report on media violence against women before CSW

The CSW is a body under the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN), which began its functions in 1946 as the “main international intergovernmental body dedicated exclusively to the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of the woman”.

It meets annually, and in this event are the UN member states, civil society organizations and bodies of the UN Human Rights System. In this space, the actions of States to meet the commitments made at the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women, its Declaration and Platform for Action, and the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly in 2000 (Beijing +5). It also addresses relevant issues on the situation of women worldwide

From these sessions, the discussions and agreements that arise and the reports presented, the CSW generates conclusions and recommendations, which are then sent to the Economic and Social Council for follow-up.

The review theme for the 62nd session of the CSW, to be held in March 2018, focuses on “Participation and access of women to the media and information and communication technologies, as well as their impact and Use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women”

Our Report

More than three years ago, along with Communicating Equality, we have monitored the organs of the State that must apply the protective norms of women in the media.

Our first research was crystallized in the publication “Gender Violence and Public Communication Policies“. Subsequently, policies related to gender and communication suffered regressive measures, which, far from improving what has already been achieved, have regressed in the role of guarantor of State rights.

In the report that we presented to the CSW, such measures were presented, as well as recommendations to achieve greater protection for women and the hearings of Argentina.

Among the regressive measures mentioned in the report are:

– Public Defender: Despite the efficient and participative management of the organization, this has been interrupted since November last year, when the Bicameral Commission, which should appoint the maximum authority of the Ombudsman’s Office, decided not to appoint anyone at the end of the term Of the first Public Defender, Lic. Cyntia Ottaviano. At present, the DPSCA is in an irregular situation and without capacity to carry out activities that go beyond mere formal and administrative communications. This limits the taking of comprehensive measures in cases of media violence based on gender or any other. This situation further aggravates Argentina’s failure to comply with the recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee in its Concluding Observations on the seventh periodic report of Argentina in 20167, especially paragraph 19, item “d”, in which Urges that “Law 26,522 of 10 October 2009 on Audiovisual Communication Services be amended in order to empower the Ombudsman to punish violations of provisions relating to gender stereotypes and sexism in the media Communication”.

– ENACOM: Since the dictates of the Decrees of Necessity and Urgency No. 13/2015, 236/2015 and 267/2015, a new body was created, ENACOM, which displaced the AFSCA, being the same subsumed in that body, Along with their faculties and functions. In flagrant violation of international commitments, and by taking regressive actions regarding the protection of the rights of the hearings, the law was ignored, and the protective scaffold created was dismantled.

These actions by the new government overlapped with the decrease in the budget of ENACOM, and a worrying uncertainty about how the new public regulatory policy for the media will become available. As of the end of 2015, there were no sanctions regarding violent content issued in the media, nor any formal response to requests for information made by civil society organizations in this regard.

– Observatory on Discrimination in Radio and Television: The Observatory as a tripartite body was dissolved in 2017, although apparently did not carry out its usual functions since January 2016, adding to the widespread disruption of public policies protecting gender and communication.

– National Women’s Council: Since 2016, the National Council of Women has taken a more active role in dealing with cases of symbolic and media violence and in early 2017 the Observatory for Symbolic and Media Violence – A bipartite body composed of the National Council of Women and the National Entity for Communications (ENACOM). So far in 2017, the Observatory intervened in 17 cases of media violence ex officio or at the request of whistleblowers. The intervention in most of them was carrying out a report of analysis of the situation discriminating and stigmatizing and sending the same to the mass media.

– Monitoring Office for Publication of Sexual Trade Offer Notices: Since its creation in 2011, until December 2015, OM has achieved that 85% of the media monitored (110 of the entire national territory, with national coverage, Regional and local) to comply with the current legislation, leaving notices of sexual offer with expressions degrading and discriminatory towards women by all media surveyed. He also conducted trainings and conferences throughout the country to raise awareness of media violence through specific media support and collaborated with the judiciary by providing data on individuals and networks that publish notices on trafficking in persons for Sexual exploitation.

Since December 2015, he has not published any reports on his actions.

Contact

Virginia Pedraza – vir.pedraza@fundeps.org

, ,

One of lime and one of sand in the case against Porta Hnos.

“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 Monday, August 7, we attended the public hearing convened by Federal Court No. 3 by Dr. Hugo Vaca Narvaja in the amparo promoted by neighbors Barrio Ne Antonio and Inaudi against the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Nation And the company Porta Hnos. They had the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Public Prosecutor’s Office representing the interests of children and the State Attorney’s Office.

The amparo involving more than 25 neighbors and residents of San Antonio and other people of the Citizens’ Assembly “NEIGHBORHOODS IN DEFENSE OF A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT – VUDAS” was filed against the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Nation Of Hydrocarbon Resources) requesting the closure and final closure of the bioethanol plant of Porta Hnos SA They base their claim by stating that the company does not have the legal authorization to prepare biofuel (bioethanol) which should have been granted by the said secretariat and for not having concluded, prior to its entry into operation, the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Subsidiarily, amparists request the cessation of environmental pollution that the activity produces and irreparably affects the environment and the health of neighbors.

It is inexplicable the absence by the State in its different levels of government: national, provincial and municipal, both at the time of urban planning, to ensure compliance with current environmental standards and at the public hearing to listen to the parties and express Your position. But more inexplicable is that it was not the first time. At the end of April of 2015 the local group came to be chained in the headquarters of the Municipality of Cordova to obtain an audience with the intendant Ramón Mestre. They were forced to extreme acts to fulfill their right to be heard and to go to the authorities. Again an absent state.

But not everything has been unfortunate. We had the opportunity to accompany neighbors in this unprecedented audience for Cordoba. Initially, a conciliation hearing was scheduled under the federal law with the characteristic that it was going to be public. The judge then changed the character of the hearing to an information type imitating the proceedings of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation in the “Mendoza” case on environmental pollution of the Matanza – Riachuelo River. Having even arranged a mechanism for the participation of third persons, from FUNDEPS we register to take the floor. Finally, between roosters and midnight the judge again changed the character of the hearing to a conciliation so we could only participate as a public.

We emphasize the need to guarantee the right to information, participation and dialogue between the parties involved with the authorities with competence in urban planning, environmental territorial management, control of anthropic activities, setting and control of standards and norms. We also emphasize the importance of taking into account the hazards of this type of industry in light of the precautionary principle and prevention that governs environmental matters (article 4 LGA), because it is located in a residential neighborhood.

At the hearing, where the judge had broad powers to direct it, neighbors had the opportunity to tell the before and after that involved the installation and expansion of the company Porta Hnos and the consequences it brought in its health and quality of life. Then the lawyers, the Public Ministry of Defense and the Prosecutor’s Office were given the floor for fifteen minutes. We consider this instance to be very valuable as it strengthens transparency, citizen participation and public dissemination of this socio-environmental conflict antecedent to Cordoba as the possibility given by the Court to the neighbors.

We believe that it is important to emphasize in these cases the role of the judges in order to guarantee the fundamental rights of present generations and future generations. This is an ideal case to carry out a model of dialogic justice, to seek a structural solution to the conflict, through. The court has the opportunity to establish clear judicial guidelines that address the protection of fundamental rights, such as the human right to a healthy environment, to the health and life of the neighbors of Barrio San Antonio and Inaudi. We trust that this instance allows the claim of neighbors to be effectively heard and that the State, at its different levels, recognize, investigate and solve a complex socio-environmental situation.

Author
Victoria Gerbaldo, <victoriagerbaldo@fundeps.org>
Contact
Juan Carballo, <juanmcarballo@fundeps.org>