THE LAW that prevents and eradicates violence against women in politics guarantees the tools so that women can exercise politics in a healthy and democratic way. This was reported by Nadie Blel, a senator from the Conservative Party, who had the opportunity to present the initiative. She assured that the project makes visible a serious problem, but also offers the mechanisms to prevent and punish any act against women during the exercise of their political functions.
THE NEW CENTURY: What are the main guarantees offered by the law to prevent and eliminate violence against women in the political sphere?
NADIA BLELL: This project makes visible a phenomenon that has silenced the voices of women and has distanced them from political contention. Violence in politics manifests itself in different ways: psychological, economic, and physical in many cases. This project recognizes this violence, but the most important thing is that it establishes a care route and protection and sanction measures to offer guarantees to women that they can exercise politics in a healthy way.
ENS: What situations were being generated in the country that made it necessary to discuss and approve this project?
NB: Unfortunately, women are silenced and their voices are not heard. We understand that, by itself, politics is a world where there can be many attacks, but in the scheme of violence against women, these attacks are stronger. They attempt against the person and the essence of it. So we see that many of them, despite the fact that they postulate their names to belong to a popularly elected corporation, are not given the floor, they are not included in the most important commissions and they are not allowed to participate in the resources from of the parties so that they can campaign politically. There are many limitations and that is why it is so difficult to get more people of the female gender to participate in politics.
ENS: What has been, from your point of view, the most representative example of violence against a woman in the exercise of politics?
NB: There are many represented in physical violence or attacks that congressmen and women leaders have received. We see the attacks on social networks, not against women or politics; Sometimes, we see that from there they attack their children and other relatives. The attack is usually so forceful that it affects the very essence of the woman. In addition, it distances her from being part of democracy. As long as we do not guarantee and shield the woman, she is not going to postulate her name or raise her voice.
equity and parity
ENS: What is the impact of this law in the political sphere and how does it contribute to democracy?
NB: Efforts have been made from Congress, especially to achieve parity on the lists. But for political parties it is difficult to get women who decide to take part in these electoral processes, precisely because they are denigrated and excluded. Thus it will be very difficult to achieve those quotas that Congress has established with so much effort. With this law, we guarantee that women have tools to assert their rights and so that they can participate equally in the democratic processes.
ENS: What strategies does the law contemplate to prevent and mitigate the risks regarding women who participate in politics?
NB: There’s a lot. First, it establishes what political violence against women is and the forms that exist, since it is a phenomenon that was invisible. Many believe that it is normal for them to receive this type of attack for the simple fact of being political, and this is not the case. There will be sanctions for political parties and colleagues who use violence, sometimes they will have to retract. The good thing about this project is that it establishes this route of identification and sanction against aggressions. Women will know where they can go to assert their rights.
ENS: Has this problem really become the main reason why some women do not participate in the political life of the country?
NB: Since Congress we have made efforts to increase participation through quotas and parity. But we see that it is still difficult for the parties to get these women to decide.
subrecords
ENS: How many complaints have come into the hands of organizations for victims of assaults during the performance of their duties?
NB: Unfortunately, we have an underreporting, precisely because it has been a nameless phenomenon. The first time the subject was discussed was 10 years ago. In Colombia, after three attempts by the conservative bench, we are recognizing this phenomenon. Thanks to this law we are naming actions that were considered normal. From now on, we will have access to those records of violent events.
ENS: How to avoid that this project remains in the air and that it is not fulfilled as they have proposed?
NB: We must carry out a joint exercise with the political parties. The gateway for women to do politics in this country are the political parties. More than anyone, they must appropriate these types of tools. If we do not socialize this type of regulation and do not train officials from political institutions, the National Electoral Council and control agencies, what happens with other types of violence will happen: Once they occur, women are revictimized because officials They are unaware of the regulations and tools that women have to protect themselves.