BUSINESS SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS PROPOSE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Representatives of the business sector join forces to address the crisis of violence against women in Puerto Rico and hold meeting with the nominated Attorney General

January 29, 2023, San Juan, P.R. — Last Friday, January 27, leaders of the main business organizations of the private sector in Puerto Rico met with the nominee of Women’s Advocate, Vilmarie Rivera Sierra, to learn about her work plan and express her interest in being part of the solution to the crisis that women are experiencing through economic empowerment.

“Achieving economic independence is key to ensuring equity and overcoming the situation of vulnerability of women in the country. The Organization Act of the Office of the Procurator for Women itself stipulates that economic development and self-management must be priority issues. From our perspective it is through sustainable entrepreneurship that we will be able to combat violence with a preventive approach,” said Liza García-Vélez, Esq., Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.

The Law states that the Attorney General’s Office will have as a priority the achievement of affirmative actions by public and private organizations to guarantee gender equity in those areas where oppression, discrimination and marginalization persist, such as the feminization of poverty and the absence of a comprehensive perspective to address economic development and self-management. among others. “However, the path of economic development has been left relegated in the past decades by a remedial and non-preventive approach in the eradication of violence against women, we seek a commitment from the Attorney General to incorporate this effort,” said the Liza García-Vélez, Esq.

“In Puerto Rico, we are living an important moment in terms of gender representation in the business sector. The three main business organizations in the country are women: the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce of Puerto Rico, Liza Garcia, the President of the United Center of Retailers, Lourdes Aponte and this servant we are committed to promoting the economic development of women in Puerto Rico, “said the Executive Vice President of the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, Yandia Perez.

“From the third sector, there are non-profit organizations, such as Mujer Emprende Latina, that have worked for many years to promote empowerment, development and economic independence through their programming,” shared Virginia Rivera, President of the Board of Directors of Mujer Emprende Latina with Vanessa Marzán, co-founder of the organization.

“As representatives of the business sector, we have made a commitment to join efforts to address issues related to the gender violence crisis in Puerto Rico,” said Lourdes M. Aponte, President of CUD. As part of these efforts, the organizations held a meeting on Friday with Interim Women’s Advocate Vilmarie Rivera, nominated by Governor Pedro Pierluisi to occupy the position in property.

“The Acting Attorney General states that she views economic independence as a fundamental pillar of the agency’s programmatic approach. We understand that their approach to the emergency we are experiencing, as well as their work proposals, are aligned with the vision of the country’s business organizations around the development and economic empowerment of women in Puerto Rico,” said Yandia Pérez.

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Contact:

• Liza García-Vélez, Esq., Executive Director, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce: 787-721-6060
• Karen Garnik, Public Relations, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce: 787-502-2424)
• Lourdes Aponte, President, Centro Unido de Detallistas de Puerto Rico
• Yandia Pérez,Executive Vicepresident, Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association
• Vanesa Marzán, Co-Founder, Mujer Emprende Latina
• Virginia Rivera, Co-Founder, Mujer Emprende Latina