TRE/AM Women’s Ombudsman’s Office and Association of Municipalities sign a Cooperation Agreement

Manaus (AM) – Encourage the creation of Women’s Ombudsman Offices in the State’s municipalities, so that they can receive reports of violence against women, whether related to gender equality, violence against political rights, sexual and moral harassment, discrimination or other forms of violence. This is the main mission of the Technical Cooperation Agreement No. 15/2023 signed this Tuesday (31) between the Regional Electoral Court (TRE/AM), through its Women’s Ombudsman’s Office, and the Amazonense Association of Municipalities ( AAM), at the headquarters of the electoral judiciary, in Aleixo, Center-South area.

There are increasing cases of violence against women, especially in relation to the risks and potential harm from abusive practices of moral harassment, sexual harassment, gender-based political violence and discrimination, motivating public authorities, the judiciary in particular, to reinforce prevention and control actions, explains the president of TRE/AM, judge Jorge Lins.

Data from the Superior Labor Court (TST) indicate that, in 2021 alone, more than 52 thousand cases related to moral harassment and more than 3 thousand related to sexual harassment were filed in the Labor Court across the country, proving that such violence is numerous in the world of work.

“The Electoral Court of Amazonas is pleased to sign this Technical Cooperation Agreement with the Association of Municipalities. We are very hopeful that the results will be successful. The fight against moral harassment, sexual harassment, violence against political rights and discrimination against women at work has been the main focus of the work of the TRE Women’s Ombudsman’s Office and we want it to also be the goal of Amazonian municipalities, creating Women’s Ombudsman Offices in the structure direct administration of the executive branch. It is necessary to build a more respectful society without discrimination, whether in the capital or in the interior cities, favoring tolerance and diversity”,

said judge Jorge Lins.

For the TRE Women’s Ombudsman, judge Lídia de Abreu Carvalho, today was a day of a unique opportunity, to begin a new phase in the fight against forms of gender discrimination suffered by women. She recalls that the Women’s Ombudsman’s Office is the specialized channel for receiving demands relating to violence against women in the electoral sphere, mainly regarding violence against political rights, gender equality, and guaranteeing female participation in elections, or even to listening to female servers.

“And, through the signing of this Technical Cooperation Agreement, the municipalities will be receiving the endorsement and support, all necessary incentives, so that the women’s ombudsman’s office can be installed and maintained in their headquarters”.

Ombudsman Network

Through technical cooperation, TRE has the mission of continuing to encourage municipalities associated with the Amazon Association of State Municipalities to install their Women’s Ombudsman Offices. On the other hand, it is up to the Association to inform all municipalities about the importance of creating the Women’s Ombudsman’s Office, with the objective of creating the Municipal Women’s Ombudsman Network, linked to the TRE/AM Women’s Ombudsman’s Office, in addition to guiding these municipalities to make use of institutional email: [email protected].

The president of the Association of Municipalities, Anderson Souza, mayor of the municipality of Rio Preto da Eva, stated that he will work for Amazonian cities to install their Women’s Ombudsman’s Offices, just as he has already done in his municipality, to continue guaranteeing access to justice to the entire population of the State. “It is another important step to ensure that women are respected and welcomed in the best way possible.”

Also participating in the signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement were the vice-president of the TRE, judge Carla Maria Santos dos Reis; and the Court’s ombudsman, electoral judge Pedro de Araújo Ribeiro.

Pioneering project

The Regional Electoral Court continues with the Public Hearings Project in the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Manaus (RMM), with the purpose of publicizing the work carried out by the TRE/AM Women’s Ombudsman’s Office, strengthening female participation in the fight against moral harassment , sexual harassment, discrimination and gender-based political violence. In addition to being a way to encourage these cities to create their municipal ombudsman offices aimed at women.

The first city covered by this project was the Municipality of Iranduba, in April this year, when, in partnership with the Electoral District and the municipal legislature, it established the Women’s Ombudsman’s Office, being the first to create the body within the State .
Last June, in partnership with the Amazonas Ombudsman Network and TRE/AM, Rio Preto da Eva City Hall, with the support of the electoral district and the municipal legislature, opened its General Ombudsman’s Office and Women’s Ombudsman’s Office Municipal.

About the Ombudsman

The Women’s Ombudsman’s Office is the exclusive channel for assisting women, citizens, magistrates and TRE employees, electoral promoters, candidates for elected positions when campaigning, who feel victims of aggression related to gender equality, moral and sexual harassment, discrimination, gender-based political violence or other form of violence, within the scope of the Regional Electoral Court of Amazonas. And at the head of the sector is the ombudsman judge Lídia Abreu, creator of the project for the new guidelines of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

Among the actions, the Ombudsman’s Office works to receive complaints, promoting active listening to the victim, collecting their testimony and providing all guidance to the complainant, all confidentially. In addition, it forwards demands to the competent sectors or bodies for their solution. The main service channels, in addition to in person, are by telephone (92) 3632-4454 and by email: [email protected].

*With information from consultancy

Read more:

TRE/AM continues with hearings at RMM and Rio Preto creates Women’s Ombudsman

TRE/AM starts Public Hearings Project and Iranduba establishes Women’s Ombudsman’s Office

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