The National Electoral Institute (INE) approved the implementation of the psychological first aid services pilot program, guidance, advice, attention and legal support to candidates in situations of political violence in gender reason, this during the campaign period that will start on March 1st.
According to the program, the Electoral Litigation Technical Unit (UTCE) will be in charge of the first contact with the victims, through the multidisciplinary group and personnel from the deconcentrated bodies, to provide basic guidance to any woman who requires it and will channel cases that correspond to local and partisan bodies.
The multidisciplinary group is made up of a psychologist, a social worker, a political scientist and an expert lawyer in public security, who have experience in caring for victims and with a gender perspective. In the case of deconcentrated bodies, each one has at least one person in charge of providing first contact care to women who file a complaint or complaint about Gender-Based Political Violence.
To guarantee adequate care for the victims, the INE signed a collaboration agreement with the UNAM Faculty of Psychology to train and certify first contact personnel; Legal support will be provided by the Technical Unit for Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination.
Counselor Carla Humphrey applauded the implementation of the program, however, she questioned whether it is temporary when the data shows that political violence is constant. In addition, she criticized that the program will only be available during the campaign period and not throughout the electoral process.
“The creation of a temporary pilot test is proposed, when it is undeniable that political violence against women based on gender is a reality, it is not a pilot test and, as I already said, it is the main obstacle to the full exercise of the political and electoral rights of women,” she said.
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Due to the above, Counselor Humphrey urged the creation of a Public Defender’s Office for Women victims of political gender violence, which the presiding judge of the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation (TEPJF), Mónica Soto Fregoso, announced will be created. , without giving the specific date on which the Ombudsman’s Office will begin to operate.