Uruguay government launches app to tackle gender-based violence – Latin America Reports

Report on Uruguay’s Technological Initiative to Combat Gender-Based Violence

Introduction: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals Through Innovation

The Government of Uruguay has announced the development of a mobile application, Élida 360, designed to protect victims of gender-based violence. This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving key targets within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The application is named in honor of Uruguay’s first uniformed female police officer, Élida Pensado Graña.

Application Features and Implementation Strategy

Core Functionalities for Victim Protection

The Élida 360 application is engineered to provide immediate support and a direct line to law enforcement for victims, thereby strengthening institutional protections in line with SDG 16. Its primary features include:

• A 24-hour chat option for continuous support.
• An emergency panic button for immediate alerts.
• A mechanism for victims to report breaches of precautionary measures, such as restraining orders, ensuring accountability and access to justice.

Phased Rollout Plan

The deployment of the application will follow a structured, court-supervised process to ensure its effective use among high-risk individuals.

1. The application will officially launch on November 21 and become operational in December.
2. Initially, 2,000 mobile phones with the Élida 360 application pre-installed will be delivered to victims by court order.
3. Future plans include making the application available for download on personal devices, broadening its accessibility.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5: Achieving Gender Equality

This initiative directly addresses SDG Target 5.2: “Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres.” Government data from the previous year, which recorded 35,293 cases of domestic violence against women and 19 femicides, underscores the critical need for such interventions. The app provides a tangible tool to prevent violence and empower women, a core objective of SDG 5.

SDG 16: Promoting Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Élida 360 enhances the state’s capacity to protect its citizens and enforce the rule of law, contributing to SDG Target 16.1 (“Significantly reduce all forms of violence”) and SDG Target 16.3 (“Ensure equal access to justice for all”). While Uruguay possesses a solid legal framework against gender-based violence, the app aims to bridge the gap between legislation and effective enforcement.

Expert Analysis: Addressing Systemic Challenges for SDG Attainment

Critique of Existing Frameworks and Institutional Gaps

Civil society experts, including representatives from CLADEM and the Uruguayan Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, acknowledge the app as a positive measure. However, they highlight persistent systemic issues that hinder the full realization of SDG 5 and SDG 16. Key concerns include:

• A lack of courts specialized in gender-based and sexual violence.
• The need for improved training for judges and public defenders.
• Insufficient budgetary allocation for comprehensive protection policies.
• The absence of a systematic public policy approach to complement legal frameworks.

Recommendations for a Holistic Approach

Experts emphasize that technology alone cannot solve the deep-rooted cultural issues that perpetuate gender-based violence. To create a sustainable impact and fully achieve the relevant SDGs, the following actions are recommended:

• Secure an adequate budget dedicated to the protection of women, girls, and adolescents.
• Launch massive and sustained public awareness campaigns to foster a cultural shift away from violence and inequality.
• Focus on prevention and education to address the social context in which violence occurs, recognizing that laws protect but do not change culture.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• The article’s central theme is the effort to combat gender-based violence in Uruguay through the Élida 360 app. This directly aligns with SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The discussion revolves around protecting women from violence, addressing systemic inequalities (“a society built on the foundation of inequalities”), and strengthening legal and policy frameworks to protect women’s rights.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article extensively discusses the justice system’s role in addressing gender-based violence. It highlights the existence of laws and protective measures like restraining orders but also points to significant gaps, such as the need for “courts specialized in gender-based and sexual violence,” “better training for judges,” and ensuring “access to justice.” This connects directly to SDG 16’s goal of promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies.

Specific Targets Identified

Targets under SDG 5: Gender Equality

1. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres.
   • The entire article is focused on this target. The Élida 360 app is a specific tool designed “to protect victims of gender-based violence” and “prevent the murder of women.” The article cites statistics on “35,293 cases of domestic violence against women” and “19 femicides,” underscoring the urgency of eliminating such violence.
2. Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality.
   • The article references Uruguay’s “solid legal framework” and “progressive” legislation. However, it also highlights major challenges in implementation, such as “difficulties in enforcing those laws,” the lack of a “systematic approach to public policy,” and an “inadequate allocation of budgetary resources.” This points directly to the need to strengthen and enforce existing policies.

Targets under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The app is explicitly mentioned as a tool “to prevent the murder of women.” The documentation of “19 femicides” in the previous year is a direct measure of violence-related death rates that policies and tools like the app aim to reduce.
2. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
   • The article notes a “lack of provisions for female and child victims of abuse” and calls for the protection of “women, girls, and adolescents,” connecting the issue of gender-based violence directly to the safety and well-being of children.
3. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law… and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • Experts quoted in the article repeatedly call for measures to “guarantee access to justice.” Specific needs identified include “courts specialized in gender-based and sexual violence,” confidential spaces for interviews, and “better training for judges and public defenders,” all of which are essential for ensuring equal access to justice for victims.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Implied Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner.
  • The article provides a direct data point relevant to this indicator: “Government data shows that 35,293 cases of domestic violence against women were reported in Uruguay last year.” This figure serves as a baseline to measure progress in reducing violence against women.
• Implied Indicator 5.c.1: Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
  • The article implies a deficiency in this area by quoting an expert who states, “The budget is minimal, and besides that [they need] to guarantee access to justice.” The critique of the “inadequate allocation of budgetary resources” suggests that tracking and increasing these allocations is a necessary measure of progress.

Indicators for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Implied Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age.
  • The article provides a specific number for a subset of this indicator: “19 femicides documented.” Femicide is the intentional homicide of women because of their gender. This statistic can be used to track progress in reducing the most extreme form of gender-based violence.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: latinamericareports.com