LGBTQ community in Colombia: what do the candidates propose?
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(CNN Spanish) --
Care systems, priority for women in education and employment plans, initiatives to deal with violence: different gender policies have made their way into the government programs of several of Colombia's presidential candidates .
Here's a look at some of the key proposals.
In the first quarter of 2022, unemployment among men stood at 10.4% in Colombia.
Among women, this percentage rose to 17.1%, according to DANE data.
Women dedicate, on average, 7:14 hours a day to unpaid care work and housework.
In men the figure drops to 3:25 hours, according to official statistics.
In a UN study on the situation of women in a pandemic, more than 60% of women said that they or women they knew had experienced some type of violence.
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The figures, in all areas, show the disadvantaged situation in which women find themselves compared to men in Colombia.
This is what the main candidates are proposing for the elections to be held on May 29 in the country.
Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Petro, candidate of Colombia Humana and the coalition of the Historical Pact, celebrates his victory in the left-wing referendum of the Historical Pact.
(Credit: Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images)
The chapter on policies aimed at women heads the government program of Gustavo Petro and Francia Márquez, the formula that leads the polls.
Petro proposes that women occupy "50% of all public positions at all levels and branches of power."
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If they win, they propose the creation of a Ministry of Equality that will be in charge of "articulating all the policies for the comprehensive empowerment of women, the diversities of gender and sexual orientation, generational, ethnic and regional in Colombia."
The plan also includes nationwide campaigns to transform gender stereotypes.
One of the proposals in which she agrees with other candidates is the creation of a National Care System that seeks, according to the program, to recognize, reward, reduce and redistribute the care tasks that women have historically been in charge of.
The time dedicated to care will be recognized as work and rewarded.
In this regard, the plan states that women who throughout their lives have dedicated themselves to home care will be integrated into the pension system.
In addition, through this system, it will be sought that the State and the private sector provide care services, so that the time that society, especially women, dedicates to these tasks can be reduced.
In terms of increasing economic power, the program proposes that women have priority access to public higher education, credit, and the distribution and formalization of land ownership.
Petro also proposes that a basic minimum income be guaranteed above the poverty line "to protect and empower women heads of households."
As for violence, they propose implementing a "shock plan" for its prevention and eradication, with a special mention of femicides, which will be attacked "by creating a national system of early warnings and specialized instances and training public officials."
Regarding sexual and reproductive rights, the program is committed to abide by the decision of the Constitutional Court to decriminalize abortion, and emphasizes sexual and reproductive rights, for example through effective access to contraceptive methods and for a "hygiene dignified period".
It also announces a national plan to prevent teenage pregnancy.
Regarding the LGBTQ community, Petro proposes to advance in labor inclusion and in access and permanence in the educational system.
The candidate proposes to advance in "eliminating obstacles and stigmas to recognize the union of same-sex couples and their rights to adoption and social security", as well as that the health system supports and accompanies gender transition, among other measures.
"Fico" Gutierrez
The Fico Gutiérrez and Rodrigo Lara Sánchez program also has an exclusive chapter dedicated to differential policies to reduce inequalities, in which some goals related to the inclusion of women are framed.
One of the main goals in the fight against violence against women is to improve and expand the 155 line as a channel for assisting victims.
The program proposes to simplify "the care route with a single gateway to justice that facilitates support and comprehensive care."
In addition, they propose carrying out communication campaigns for the prevention of sexual harassment and exploitation.
The program emphasizes the "comprehensive health" of women and proposes, among other measures, to strengthen education on sexual and reproductive rights, as well as actions to prevent minor pregnancy and early unions.
Here the program makes a special mention of migrants.
In politics and employment generation programs, women will have preference, especially in areas of greater potential such as digitization, agriculture, etc.
Here there is an emphasis on rural women, for whom it is proposed to strengthen programs for access and land ownership as well as capacity building, among other actions.
It is also proposed to reinforce training for mothers who are heads of households to recover job skills impaired by the pandemic and incentives for women who pursue STEM careers, that is, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Gutiérrez's proposals also focus on entrepreneurship, committing to increase the number of women's businesses that receive support through SENA's Entrepreneurship Fund, among other mechanisms.
"Fico" Gutiérrez also proposes the creation of a Care System and, within its framework, maintains that the models of the Good Start and From Zero to Forever programs will be expanded, and that the Shared Parental Leave Law will be implemented.
As for the LGBTQ community, one of its main goals is to strengthen reporting channels so that members of the community can have better access to justice.
It also proposes lifting the "barriers to access the labor market through the Public Employment Service and alliances with the private sector," among other measures.
Rodolfo Hernandez
Rodolfo Hernández commits, according to his government program, that at least 50% of the positions in the public function be assigned to women and that at least half of his cabinet be occupied by women, "with priority given to the population young people, mothers who are heads of households and people with disabilities".
As part of the measures to favor the participation of women in the labor market, Hernández proposes the joint construction by the Government and private companies of spaces where the children of working women are cared for.
She also proposes that flexibility strategies be generated so that women who are heads of households can work.
The program aspires to universal coverage of education at all levels and postulates that, as of this milestone, women could be in a more competitive situation to enter the labor market.
Hernández mentions the need to reinforce the existing comprehensive education programs for rural women and create new ones.
These would cover topics such as violence prevention, entrepreneurship, and good agricultural practices, among others.
Several lines of its program refer to violence against women, and include the training of officials, expanding the coverage of shelters for victims of violence and articulating the management of the different institutions that are involved in caring for women who they suffer violence.
Regarding the LGBT community, Hernández proposes "making effective and promoting current policies on inclusion" with affirmative actions and creating spaces for dialogue so that the different orientations are represented in development plans.
Sergio Fajardo
Sergio Fajardo was the winner of the Centro Esperanza coalition, but he got fewer votes than the left-wing candidate Francia Márquez.
(Credit: Juan Pablo Pino/AFP/Getty Images)
Sergio Fajardo's "Program for equality and women's rights" has three main lines of work: the creation of a Ministry for Women and Gender Equity, the implementation of a National Care System and include the approach of gender in all commitments and proposals made by the candidate.
In line with the proposals mentioned above, the National Care System proposed by Fajardo proposes to measure the contribution of unpaid care and domestic work and promote the reduction and redistribution of tasks.
To achieve this, it mentions, among other actions, achieving a universal coverage of children from 3 to 5 years of age in development or educational centers and expanding extended school hours, so that adults can use those hours to work.
The Ministry of Women, another of the pillars of the Fajardo proposal, would be in charge of promoting and advancing in the achievement of economic and physical autonomy and for the participation of women, according to the program proposed by the candidate.
But Fajardo also proposes mainstreaming the gender approach in the programs of other areas.
This, for example, in the area of work implies that of the 440,000 new jobs that it plans to generate if it wins, 70% will be for women, given the greater impact on unemployment.
With regard to justice, it is proposed to strengthen the gender approach in access, emphasizing tools such as Family Police Stations and Mobile Justice Units.
And, among the actions linked to health, in addition to emphasizing the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and the prevention of adolescent pregnancy, the program also refers specifically to abortion, stating that they will regulate "in an integral manner" the practice of abortion in line with the definition of the Constitutional Court with the aim that women can decide "without any social stigma".
Fajardo has a chapter dedicated to the LGBTQ community in which it proposes, among other actions, to promote safe school environments and labor inclusion, especially of trans people.
He also emphasizes the training of public officials and especially the Ministry of Health, so that they understand the needs of trans people.
MEET THE MAIN CANDIDATES:
Gustavo Petro
Federico "Fico" Gutierrez
Rodolfo Hernandez
Sergio Fajardo
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