The Noble Hall of the Cabildo de Tenerife hosted on Tuesday the presentation of the ‘Encontrán2nos’ conference, an initiative that will allow a deeper understanding of the realities of women with disabilities who suffer from gender-based violence and, from a specialized perspective, propose improvements in the care and support resources they receive on the island, implementing accessible and adapted systems.
The insular institution, sector entities, and internationally renowned specialists come together in this pioneering project, which has already become a national benchmark for shared work to advance in equality, inclusion, and protection of the rights of people with disabilities.
The insular directors of Equality and Diversity, Patricia León, and Social Action, Yolanda Baumgartner, as well as the head of the Equality area of the Coordinator of People with Physical Disabilities of the Canary Islands (CoordiCanarias), Yaiza Afonso Higuera, presented all the details of these second conferences, which will take place on June 2 at the Hotel Escuela in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Patricia León highlighted the importance of conferences that draw from both the ‘Strategic Framework Tenerife Violet’ and the ‘Insular Network of Gender Equality Tenerife Violet’ and for which collaborative and committed work has been carried out with all disability entities on the island of Tenerife.
She indicated that the data is «very concerning» as 40.4 percent of women with disabilities have suffered gender-based violence «and this must be addressed by public administrations hand in hand with the third sector.»
Yolanda Baumgartner recalled that this is the second edition of the conferences, «an initiative that was launched in 2023 by CoordinaCanarias in coordination with the Cabildo de Tenerife, and where an analysis space was established on how violence affects women victims of gender-based violence with disabilities, so it is important to work in a network where the different agents, institutions, and entities present in the island of Tenerife come together.»
Yaiza Afonso pointed out that these conferences arise «after a broad two-year participatory process, a space for work and collaboration that, through six specialized working groups, has resulted in the joint declaration of ‘Proposals for the accessible care of women with disabilities victims of gender-based violence’ and a shared commitment for the reality of women with disabilities to be a permanent part of the public and social agenda.»
With ‘Encontrán2nos’ a step forward is taken to incorporate innovative actions, as well as to advance towards the creation of the first Disability and Gender-Based Violence Commission, as a necessary meeting point for specialized services in gender-based violence, professional disability teams, and women, notes an insular corporation statement.
SEXUAL EDUCATION
Among the topics to be addressed in the talks and debate panels are diagnosis, prevention, and care; universal accessibility in gender-based violence resources; actions to combat violence against women and girls with disabilities; the importance of accessible communication or sexual education as a prevention tool.
The program will be closed by the actress, screenwriter, and teacher Carmen Cabeza, with a monologue that will address the program topics from a different perspective.
In addition, the panel program will feature experts such as the executive vice president of the CERMI Women Foundation and member of the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at the United Nations, Ana Peláez Narváez; the general manager of the State Reference Center (CRE) for the care of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias of the IMSERSO, Maribel Campo Blanco, or the coordinator responsible for the Gender Equality Policies Area and the Accessible ALBA Service for deaf victims of gender-based violence at the State Confederation of Deaf People, Alba Prado Mendoza.
Attendance to these conferences is free of charge, although, due to capacity reasons, it is necessary to register at https://www.europapress.es/islas-canarias/noticia-cabildo-tenerife-impulsa-proyecto-pionero-mujeres-discapacidad-violencia-genero-20250527150422.html where you can specify and request the necessary support resources.
