The Attorney General of the State, Roger Mariaca Montenegro, inaugurated this Monday the Interinstitutional Discussion and Working Groups, aimed at improving coordination between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the health area in the care of victims of sexual crimes. The event, carried out with the support of IPAS Bolivia and in coordination with the Departmental Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz, seeks to optimize protection and assistance to people affected by these crimes.
“Today it is our turn to thank IPAS Bolivia as one more cooperating partner that the Attorney General’s Office has to work for this important and at the same time vulnerable sector such as our children. Here we are not interested in political color, we are interested that each director, director and member of the departmental institution can contribute to the sole purpose of protecting our girls, boys and women victims of violence,” said Mariaca during the inauguration.
The Departmental Prosecutor of Santa Cruz, Alberto Zeballos, explained that the working groups will make it possible to “make the work of all the sectors that are part of the chain of attention to victims viable and concrete, working in a coordinated and unified manner”. He also announced the presentation of the Inter-institutional Action Route, a guide designed to define the specific attributions and functions of the institutions involved.
Malena Morales, director of IPAS Bolivia, stressed the importance of coordination between the justice and health sectors for comprehensive care of victims. “The health area has a very important role and is connected with the legal area. It is essential that both work together to guarantee an effective response,” she said.
The event was attended by prominent authorities, such as the Director of the Institute of Forensic Investigations (IDIF), the Director of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Gender and Juvenile Crimes, the Departmental Representative of the Ombudsman’s Office, as well as representatives of the Bolivian Police, SEDES Santa Cruz, and other institutions.
This joint effort is expected to strengthen the mechanisms for the protection and care of victims of sexual violence, moving towards a more efficient and humane inter-institutional response.