President Luis Guillermo Solis and members of his Cabinet will be present at the march to observe the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. To this end, the Presidential Council meeting that usually takes place each Tuesday morning has been rescheduled to take place after lunch. President Solis has gone on record to state that the people of Costa Rica should pay close interest to the issues that will be discussed during this march:

“It is fundamental that we all make a commitment with gender equality, and we must remind women that we are on their side and that we repudiate violence against them and the macho culture that enables it.”

By means of a Presidential announcement, this march to observe International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women has been declared to be of public interest in Costa Rica. The march is being organized by the National Institute for Women, a prominent government agency. President Solis added:

“We have to make Tuesday morning stand out because is not just any other morning. This is a day on which we must recognize the struggle of women who have prevailed to earn places in society that have been historically denied to them, but we should also keep in mind that we have many societal challenges still ahead. By participating in this march, we wish to add our strength and effort to the steps we must take to achieve real gender equality.”

Although Costa Rica has the lowest rates of violence against women in the region, sociologists believe that more vigilance and enforcement is needed with regard to preventing domestic violence. As reported by The Costa Rica Star earlier this year:

Guanacaste is the province with the highest rate of domestic violence in Costa Rica. According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Public Health (Spanish initials: MSP), the northern province registered 346.6 cases of domestic violence per 100,000 residents. This figure, which is from 2012, is part of an ongoing qualitative analysis that the MSP is conducting so that proper action can be taken.

The government of Costa Rica has encouraged all public sector employees to join the march and the events surrounding this international day of observance.