Ministry of Women celebrated its anniversary with a message focused on institutional continuity, advances in rights, and the need to sustain public policies to reduce gender gaps. The event commemorated the beginning of this process in 1982 and reaffirmed the weight that equality has gained within the Dominican State.
During a thanksgiving mass at the Primate Cathedral of America, the institution highlighted the journey traveled since the creation of the Directorate General for the Promotion of Women in 1982. That first step opened the path for a specialized public structure dedicated to defending women’s rights and promoting equity.
Minister Gloria Reyes stated that the trajectory of the Ministry of Women reflects a sustained construction that has progressively incorporated equality into the public agenda. She also recognized the contribution of generations of women and public servants who drove this process forward.
Ministry of Women: from directorate general to ministry
Institutional development had two key milestones: in 1999, with the creation of the Secretariat of State for Women, and in 2010, when Decree 56-10 adopted the current name of Ministry of Women. Since then, the agency has been formally tasked with coordinating policies, plans, and programs aimed at gender equality and equity.
This journey coincides with a regional and global trend: the creation of specialized entities to respond to violence, discrimination, and historical barriers affecting women. In the country, this evolution has been linked to the expansion of services, violence prevention, and inter-institutional coordination.
Ministry of Women highlights prevention and protection
The ceremony also focused on the response to violence. Father David Soriano asked for remembrance of people in vulnerable situations and offered prayers for victims, orphans, and families affected by these events. Symbols of the institutional mission, such as the Magaly Pineda School of Equality and the Shelter Houses, were presented at the altar.
According to the Ministry of Women itself, its current work includes strengthening prevention and care mechanisms, in addition to promoting autonomy and participation. This approach aligns with international warnings: the United Nations cautions that, at the current pace, closing the legal protection gaps would take 286 years.
Ministry of Women and pending challenges
- Reduce gender gaps in access to opportunities.
- Strengthen the prevention of violence against women.
- Expand the coverage of care and protection.
- Sustain public policies with inter-institutional coordination.
The commemoration brought together vice ministers, authorities, and entity personnel as a sign of support for the continuity of the agenda. In her message, Gloria Reyes insisted that the Ministry of Women not only looks at its history, but also at the duty to deepen the changes that allow for the full exercise of women’s rights. This is currently the main challenge for the Ministry of Women.
