US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO1685

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 001685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN, KSEP, OPDC, PREL, PHUM, DR 
SUBJECT: CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY DOMINICAN 
STYLE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 47117 
 
1. Summary.  International Women's Day was celebrated in 
various fora in the Dominican Republic.  On March 8 President 
Mejia, accompanied by the First Lady, the Vice President and 
the Secretary for Women, presided over an elaborate ceremony 
at the National Palace to present 24 women with merit awards 
for being champions of issues affecting women and for being 
role models.  Almost all cabinet-level ministries were 
represented along with a strong diplomatic corps presence. 
In a more subdued event, women representing more than 20 
civil society organizations peacefully marched to the Palace 
of Justice to deliver a petition against domestic violence. 
To date this year at least eight women have died at the hands 
of a lover or spouse.  On March 9 Charge d'Affaires hosted a 
cocktail for more than 100 prominent Dominican women from the 
business sector, government and civil society in 
acknowledgment of their achievements and camaraderie with the 
Mission.  End Summary. 
 
PRESIDENT HONORS WOMEN 
 
2. On March 8 President Mejia, in the company of the First 
Lady, the Vice President and the Secretary for Women, 
presided over an elaborate ceremony at the National Palace in 
honor of International Women's Day.  Among the 24 recipients 
of merit awards, leaders of two women's NGOs were recognized: 
the founders of Dominican Feminist Action and the organizer 
of the Federation for Peasant Women.  Other recipients 
included women involved in politics, academia and the arts. 
The Secretary of Women gave a 35-minute speech praising 
women's accomplishments and the administration's record on 
women's issues.  She cited the laws affecting women that have 
been passed under the Mejia administration, including a Law 
Against Trafficking and Alien Smuggling, a law that 
establishes safe havens for victims of domestic violence and 
a decreee which establishes an Office for Equity, Gender and 
Development in each ministry. 
 
CHARGE HOSTS COCKTAIL FOR WOMEN 
 
3. On March 9 Charge d'Affaires hosted a cocktail for more 
than 100 prominent women representing the government, civil 
society and the business sector.  Prominent guests included 
the Vice President and Secretary for Education Milagros Ortiz 
Bosch and the President's sister Chavela Grullon, President 
of the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI) 
and Congresswoman Minou Tavares Mirabal.  Borrowing themes 
from the Secretary's message (reftel), Charge praised 
Dominican women "who are working every day to improve the 
lives of all Dominicans in the areas of education, health and 
human rights, and women who are fighting scourges like 
trafficking and HIV/AIDS."  Charge also acknowledged the 
significance of November 25, UN International Day for the 
Elimination of Violence Against Women, established in memory 
of the Dominican Republic's Mirabal sisters who helped lead 
the movement to bring down the Trujillo dictatorship. 
 
A DAY OF REFLECTION AND PEACEFUL MARCHES 
 
4. International Women's Day was also a time to reflect on 
social issues as well as the effects of current economic 
conditions.  Several women's NGOs marched to the Palace of 
Justice to deliver a petition against domestic violence. 
Women also marched to Independence Park in Santo Domingo, 
where civil society activists offered their views on the 
state of affairs affecting women.  According to newspaper 
reports, some women are giving their children tea as a 
cheaper alternative to milk.  NGOs lament that women have cut 
back on food portions for their children because they can no 
longer afford to purchase larger quantities.  The groups 
called on the President to take responsibility for the 
economic policies that have caused a deteriorating quality of 
life for the general populace and particularly for women. 
 
COMMENT 
 
5. (SBU) International Women's Day received substantial 
coverage in the press.  The contrast in celebrations is 
telling; President Mejia wants to put his stamp in the 
history books for passing key legislation to advance women's 
rights while civil society criticizes him for women's 
economic woes.  The press says that last year was more 
violent for women than previous years, with estimates that 
more than 40 per cent of women and children were victims of 
domestic violence.  This is the reality against which the new 
law against trafficking and the law establishing safe havens 
are aimed, in hopes of fostering better conditions for women 
and reducing the obstacles and demeaning treatment they 
confront. 
KUBISKE