With the goal of strengthening actions to prevent, address, and eradicate child sexual abuse, the municipalities of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, will sign a collaboration agreement between the three branches of government and civil society organizations next Monday, October 27, at a ceremony to be held at the Puerto Vallarta Convention Center.
According to Sandra Quiñones, a member of the Justice for Nayarit Network, the document is the result of nearly three years of collaborative work between civil society organizations, businesses, academics, and officials from both states.
“It is not an idea of the organizations, but rather a joint effort in which civil society, academia, the private sector, and the government develop collaborative roundtables to define the necessary actions to address child sexual abuse,” she explained.
The document, which concluded its development phase in April of this year, includes a series of lines of action and specific commitments, with goals, institutional leaders, and citizen evaluation mechanisms.
“Each action defines who is responsible, which institutions participate, and how civil society will measure its effectiveness and efficiency. It’s not just about listing actions, but about ensuring that they actually achieve their objective,” Quiñones emphasized.
The activist emphasized that the commitment involves the governors, congresses, and judiciaries of both states, recognizing that the fight against child sexual abuse requires comprehensive intervention by all three branches of government.
“Public policies are not enough; legislative and judicial action is also needed, especially when investigation files are stalled,” she emphasized.
Quiñones emphasized that this effort responds to an urgent situation, as statistics reveal that one in three children in the region is a victim of sexual abuse, an alarming indicator that requires a joint response.
The agreement seeks to promote public policies for prevention, protection, and care for victims, within a metropolitan approach that considers the conurbation between the two municipalities.
Finally, the representative of the Justice Network for Nayarit called on municipal governments to join decisively, given that there hasn’t been much participation yet.
“So far, we haven’t had confirmation from the municipalities. We’ll see on Monday who truly embraces this commitment to children, because it’s the first joint action of its kind in the region, and it will make a difference in how we address a problem that deeply pains us,” she concluded.
Source: jalisco.quadratin
