The Government Delegation has recognized the work for the prevention and eradication of gender violence in our city, as well as for equality, of agent Juan Antonio Martín Doña, assigned to the EMUME of the Organic Judicial Police Unit of the Civil Guard of Melilla and the Schools for Equality of Melilla. Both have been recognized this year with the ‘Meninas’ 2025.
In the institutional act, held this afternoon in the Assembly Hall of the University Hospital of Melilla, the Delegate of the Government, Sabrina Moh, stressed that this act of 25N allows “to recognize the work of those who are clearly committed to the eradication of male violence” and express “our rejection of any form of violence exercised on women, as well as our firm commitment to its elimination”.
Moh has highlighted the role of the renowned Meninas 2025, conveying his “congratulations to both Juan Antonio Martín Doña, Jota, and those responsible for equality”, as well as to TRIS-STEs and Concepción Cortés, for recognitions that symbolize “the fight against the violation of the Fundamental Rights of women and a work for equality and dignity”.
The head of the Government Delegation recalled that gender violence remains “the most terrible expression of inequality” and a “collective failure” that requires “raising the voice, looking to the front and, above all, acting”. He insisted that this violence “is not a distant or alien problem”, and that it will only be possible to move forward if it is addressed “in an integral and transversal way” with the involvement of the whole of society.
Moh has warned that male violence “manifests itself in multiple forms, psychological, sexual, economic, labor, institutional, digital or vicarious” and that many of them remain invisible. Thus, he recalled the figures recorded in 2025, with “38 women and 3 minors” killed and “20 girls and boys orphaned”, data that show the magnitude of the problem.
The Delegate has also appealed to the value of the testimonies of the survivors, citing women like Ana Bella, who said that “her biggest blow was not the punch, but convincing her that it was worthless”, or Pamela Palenciano, who recalls that violence “begins with the word that hurts, with the control that limits and with the doubt that nullifies”.
Dignity of public language
One of the central moments of his speech was his defense of “the dignity of public language”, warning that recent statements by local political leaders, such as describing them as “matahari in the style of Santiago Segura”, “a smiling and ineffective hologram” or “feminazis” and “rubbish”, “do not contribute anything to political and public debate”, damage “democratic quality and institutional respect” and seek only “to degrade the image of women”.
For this reason, the highest representative of the Government of Spain in the city has asked for responsibility in the use of the word, recalling that “institutions must be an example of serenity, rigor and respect” in a country in which women “continue to face violence and discrimination”.
He added that justifying the violence, as happened with the statements of the mayor of Alpedrete, is “inadmissible”, remembering that “stabbing 50 stabs at a woman is not a way to love” and that “a person who mistreats, who kills, can never be a good father or a good companion”.
The Delegate has appealed to all institutions and citizens not to look the other way, “Let us not be complicit with a deafening silence. Let us protect those women who need us, let us accompany them without judging them and let us intervene at any sign.”
Moh has thanked the work of the winners and all the people who fight this violence “from different areas”, insisting on the need to maintain a firm and coordinated commitment between administrations, State Security Forces and Bodies, the judiciary, the prosecutor’s office and social entities to move towards “a more just, more egalitarian and more violence-free country”.
The Delegate concluded with a message of hope addressed to all the women victims and their sons and daughters, reminding them that “they are not alone” and that many people are dedicated to protecting and accompanying them. “Hope is born of the courage of each and every one of them,” he said, calling to repeat “loud and clear” that we want women “alive, free and without fear.”
Day of Memory and Recognition
The Head of the Coordination Unit against Violence Against Women, Laura Segura, stressed that this is “a day of memory, commitment, recognition and tribute to victims and survivors.” Thus, he recalled that this act allows to express, once again, the rejection of any form of violence against women by the whole of society, as well as the firm commitment to its eradication.
Segura has expressed that this act allows us to reiterate “our rejection and that of the whole society of any form of violence exercised against women, as well as our firm commitment to its eradication.” She recalled that “gender violence does not cease” and that the Government Delegation maintains “its determined commitment to continue combating violence against women in all its manifestations”, also conveying “our solidarity with the victims”.
She has described gender violence as “one of the cruellest manifestations of subordination and imbalance in power relations between men and women” and “a serious violation of fundamental rights.” She has insisted that achieving full equality necessarily requires “the eradication of violence against women.”
Segura has acknowledged the country’s advances in protection and care, noting that “we always put victims at the center to ensure their safety, protection, rights, well-being and needs,” but has warned that violence continues to affect women and children. He has emphasized the gravity of vicarious violence, which he has defined as “one of the most terrible expressions of male violence,” pointing out that it causes “irreparable consequences” and that as a society “we cannot allow another day.”
The Head of the Unit has asked to continue to make visible “all the violence suffered by women because they are women”, expressly mentioning “sexual violence, sexual exploitation, trafficking in women and girls, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, prostitution, online violence”. He insisted that in order to move forward it is essential “the involvement, coordination and action of all institutions, administrations, entities and agencies”.
Segura recalled the testimony of Ana Orantes, highlighting how she turned “her violence from her own prison ‘her home’” into a public issue and how with her courage she “brought us here.” He explained that his case marked “the beginning of a social awareness” that allowed us to understand this violence as “a social and political priority.”
Regarding the current context, he affirmed that “Spain is an international reference in the fight to eradicate gender violence”, highlighting the renewal of the State Pact, which “expands measures and incorporates new forms of violence”, such as economic, digital, vicarious or trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. But he stressed that “no institutional progress will be enough without the commitment of the whole society” and that this struggle “particularly challenges men”.
Segura has warned that male violence “transforms and adapts” and that combating it requires perseverance. She has been firm in pointing out that “violence against women is undeniable, indisputable and incontestable” and that “negationism is complicit tolerance in the face of this terrible reality.” He said that “shame has to fall on those who attack and also on those who look the other way and not on the victims.”
In his speech he recalled the figures, “1,333 women killed”, “38 women so far in 2025”, “65 minors killed” and “489 orphans and orphans”. He insisted that “the figures hurt, but we cannot get used to them” because “they are not numbers, they are lives, truncated lives”, and warned of the underreporting of sexual violence, where “only 8% complain”.
Segura has closed his speech with a clear call, urging a “move forward.” Thus, it has called for “continuing to promote progress”, “promoting education on equality from the earliest stages”, “improving the resources for assistance and protection of victims” and walking together “in the construction of a more just society and free of gender violence”. He concluded by saying that “every gesture counts” and that only in this way can “this structural violence” disappear from our society.
Recognition Meninas 2025
The Delegate and the Head of the Unit have been in charge of handing over the two Meninas and the honorable mentions, which have been awarded to the TRIS-STES union and the former Director of Nursing of Specialized Care, Concha Cortés.
Specifically, Menina’s recognition of Juan José Martín Doña wanted to highlight his daily work “with dedication, spirit of sacrifice and permanent availability for service, carrying out his tasks diligently, combining values such as respect, empathy, honesty, will and responsibility, from all possible aspects of the fight against gender violence.”
This officer assigned to the Organic Judicial Police Unit of the Civil Guard of Melilla, is a University Expert in the fight against Violence against Women and has been working for a decade from the Woman-Minor Team of the Civil Guard.
Martín Doña is considered “a reference” both for the victims, the social agents, the Security Forces and Corps and even the Judicature, with which he has been relating for so many years, he has also recalled his participation in the preparation of a VioGén training plan within the Melilla Command.
As for the recognition of the Schools for Equality of Melilla, it is a community of education professionals “that has been involved in the prevention and eradication of gender violence in all its manifestations from the centers of our city”.
The Schools for Equality are made up of the teachers responsible for Equality in each educational center of our city, thus encompassing the entire educational community at all stages and levels of teaching. They represent, in this way, a network against gender violence that extends to the rest of teachers and that transcends society.
Honorable Mentions 2025
In this edition, as it has been the norm in previous years, it has also recognized the work of entities through a specific mention. The ATA-STES union has been recognized for its actions demonstrated over the years and whose objective has been none other than to promote gender equality, eradicate violence against women and carry out good practices, sensitization and social awareness.
This union has resulted in the training of teachers, equality and co-education, and in the detection of gender violence, including gender approaches in their training and informative actions in education. The awareness campaigns and the edition, every year, of a Coeducation Calendar, among many other activities, stand out.
Finally, the second mention has fallen to the former Director of Specialized Care Nursing, Concha Cortés. Cortés, already retired, has participated in numerous courses and seminars on the subject of violence against women, demonstrating a sensitivity and specialization in the subject, as well as a great dedication.
The Delegation wanted to highlight the correct organization and sensitization of a body such as nursing, which allows to address violence against women from their first symptoms. Thus, Cortés describes a trajectory in which he facilitated and collaborated with civil society and other institutions for the eradication of gender violence from the field of health, sensitizing the staff of INGESA and the Regional Hospital of Melilla.