The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, called this afternoon to the Galician population to scream against violence against women and against those who sweeten male chauvinistic behaviors in all areas of society. He claimed this in the act of handing over the Meninas recognitions, granted by the Government Delegation in Galicia for the sixth consecutive year on the occasion of the 25N.
In his speech, the delegate lamented the “black year” of male violence, in which 52 women lost their lives at the hands of their partners, two of them in Galicia. He also reminded the more than 4,700 women who today in Galicia “live with some kind of protection” against their aggressors and who are threatened “24 hours a day, 365 days a year”.
Faced with this, he highlighted the action of the Government of Pedro Sánchez, which in recent years materialized its feminist agenda in investments of up to 70 million euros in Galicia, legislative modifications, advances in security in the best coordination with municipalities, with more than 50 in Galicia within the Viogen system, and greater social awareness. “And we are going to continue, with more legislation, with more investment and with all our commitment, because it is our reason for being,” he added.
Pedro Blanco pointed out that the Meninas recognitions and the rest of the program created this year by the Government Delegation by 25N clearly reflects how the Government of Spain understands and fights against male violence. “I like to say that this long battle is fought and we have to fight it from all levels with education, with legislation and with culture (...) from home and school,” he said, noting that “we form a human chain against male violence, we are the people of that chain and we recognize the work and commitment in those areas that I speak about.”
Meninas 2023
The Meninas awards are given annually on the occasion of the celebration of the 25N, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to highlight the strong commitment against male violence in Galicia.
At the regional level, the Menina falls this year to Judge Paz Filgueira, holder for 10 years of the Court of Violence against Women of Vigo. The jury also took into account the intense work carried out by the judge in the continuous training of the personnel of the Public Administrations and of the State Bodies and Forces in Galicia with respect to the treatment of victims of male violence.
In the province of A Coruña, la Menina recognizes the work of José Ángel Vázquez, current director of the Prison Center of Teixeiro. This official coordinates a group of professionals who promote various activities at the center to promote the eradication of violence against women in any of its forms. In this province, the jury also awarded three honorable mentions: to the staff of the Family and Women’s Care Unit (UFAM) of the Local Judicial Police Brigade of the Ferrol-Narón Police Station for their dedication, in particular, to cases related to sexual freedom; and to the head of the Local Police of Muxía, José Manuel Blanco, for his involvement in protecting the victims of gender violence of this City Council through the Viogen System. The third mention comes from Ana Belén Puñal, PhD in Communication Sciences and an expert in communication from a gender perspective. This mention was promoted by the Colexio de Xornalista de Galicia, highlighting the role of communication professionals in the promotion of gender equality.
In the province of Lugo, the Menina is awarded to the project ‘Women of Lugo’, promoted by the educational community of the IES ‘Anxel Fole’ and ‘Nosa Señora dos Ollos Grandes’ of the city of Lugo. Both centers promoted a research work that was translated into a school calendar to make visible, in the educational centers of the environment, the role of Lucan women in fields such as activism, science, literature, performing arts or politics. In this province, the honorable mention is given to the national police Cristina Castro, assigned to the Family and Women's Care Unit (UFAM) of the Lugo Police Station.
In Ourense, the Menina recognition is for valoReSC NGOs, which has its main headquarters in the city of Ourense. According to the jury, the professional work of the people who form this entity promoted positive initiatives in the field of equality, and for their work with women victims of violence, is recognized. The honorable mention is given to the civil guard Vanesa Domínguez, of the Civil Guard Command of Ourense.
In Pontevedra, Menina Silvia Pérez, a doctor in Sociology and professor at the University of Vigo, receives recognition. In 2018, she won the first state prize for doctoral dissertations on gender violence, awarded by the Ministry of Equality. In this province, the jury awards two honorable mentions. The first, for the VIOGEN Team of the 1st Tui Civil Guard Company. The mention distinguishes the work and personal commitment of the six men and women who make up this unit, which annually instructs an average of 300 attestations related to gender violence. The second mention goes to the Office of Attention to Victims of Crime in the courts of Vigo. In this case, it was the users of this office themselves who promoted this candidacy, showing their gratitude for the treatment, support and dedication of the people who work in this unit.
The jury, chaired by the Government delegate, Pedro Blanco, analyzed the proposals of the Coordination Unit against Violence against Women of the Government Delegation and the Violence against Women Units of the four Government subdelegations in the Galician provinces.
Handover of the Meninas
The presentation of the Meninese Awards took place this afternoon at the Hostal de los Reis Católica, in the week that commemorates the International Day against Gender Violence, on November 25. The event brought together in Santiago de Compostela those responsible for civil, judicial, military institutions and the different Administrations: the president of the TSXG and the Senior Prosecutor; the Valedora do Pobo; the president of the FEGAMP; the mayor of Santiago; the heads of the Civil Guard and National Police of Galicia; the general of the Maneuver Support Command of the Spanish Army; the general secretary of Igualdade de la Xunta; the three sub-authorities of the Government in A Coruña, Lugo and Pontevedra, among other functions.
During the gala, conducted by the journalist Aida Pena, the violinist of Cuban origin Marcos Valcarce also performed.