According to a 14 May 2000 report by the Mendoza newspaper Diario Los Andes, the Women's Council (Consejo de la Mujer), an organization falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Social Development and Health (Ministerio de Desarollo Social y Salud) Social Development Sub-Secretariat (Subsecretaría de Desarollo Social), had changed its name to the Public Policy Institute to Promote Equity Between Men and Women (Instituto de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad Hombre - Mujer, IPPEHM) (Consejo Nacional de la Mujer 2000; Mendoza 2000). While the date of the name change could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, newspaper reports referred to the organization as IPPEHM as early as 8 March 2000 (Diario Los Andes 8 Mar. 2000a; ibid. 8 Mar. 2000b).

The Institute, whose director is Graciela Alicia Herranz (Consejo Nacional de la Mujer 2000; Mendoza 2000), falls under the jurisdiction of the General Secretariat (Secretaría General de la Gobernación) of the government of Mendoza, and is located at: 1st Floor, East Wing, Government House, Peltier 351, City of Mendoza (Mendoza 2000). The organization offers free psychological counselling and legal advice to women and men who have been abused by their partner, and is responsible for the delivery of a number of violence-related programs, including the Infra-Family Violence Pilot Project (Proyecto Piloto de Violencia Intrafamiliar) (Instituto Social y Político de la Mujer 2000; Mendoza 19 Oct. 2000; Diario Los Andes 14 May 2000).

No information on whether the IPPEHM prepares reports on women who are victims of violence, or whether a particular woman was employed at this organization since the beginning of 1998, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

No mention of a Maipú-based organization known as Help for Women (Ayuda para Mujeres) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in a 19 January 2001 interview, the coordinator of the Women's Area (Area de las Mujeres), an organization operating under the auspices of the Municipality of Maipú, stated that her organization offers advice and referral services to female victims of violence from an office located at Ozamis 914, Maipú. The coordinator added that her organization had been located on Pescara Street until approximately one year ago, when it was re-located to its present address (ibid.).

The coordinator further stated that the Women's Area prepares reports on women victims of violence who make use of the organization's services. These reports, which contain basic information on the victim, including her initials, date of birth, circumstances of the assault and injuries incurred, are subsequently forwarded to the IPPEHM where they are used for such purposes as the generation of statistics on violence against women (ibid.). The coordintator added that the reports prepared on female victims of violence are confidential and would not be released to the victim or other parties.

No mention of a particular woman being employed by the Women's Area since the beginning of the 1998 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Area de las Mujeres, Municipalidad de Maipú. 19 January 2001. Telephone interview with coordinator.

Consejo Nacional de la Mujer. 2000. "Mendoza: área mujer provincial." http://www.cnm.gov.ar/ [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

Diario Los Andes [Mendoza]. 14 May 2000. "Dónde pedir ayuda" http://www.losandes.com.ar/ [Accessed 15 May 2000]

_____. 8 March 2000a. "A la búsqueda de la equidad." http://www.losandes.com.ar/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2001]

_____. 8 March 2000b. "Actividades por el Día Internacional de la Mujer." http://www.losandes.com.ar/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2001]

Instituto Social y Político de la Mujer. 2000. "Estudio de opinión a legisladores/as y funcionarios/as nacionales y provinciales." http://www.ispm.org.ar/violencia/politicos/opinion.htm [Accessed 24 Jan. 2001]

Mendoza. 19 Oct. 2000. "Asesorías permanentes del IPPEHM." http://www.mendoza.gov.ar/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2001]

_____. 2000. "Nómina de autoridades provinciales: poder ejecutivo." http://www.mendoza.gov.ar/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

Gobierno de Mendoza.

Instituto de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad Hombre - Mujer (IPPEHM)

IRB databases.

Internet sites including:

Canal 9 Televida [Mendoza]. Sintesis de noticias. Aug. 2000-Jan. 2001.

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 1997-2001.

Consejo Nacional de la Mujer (CNM)

Cuyo Noticias [Mendoza]. Aug. 2000-Jan. 2001

Diario Los Andes [Mendoza]. Feb.-May; Sept. 2000-Jan. 2001.

Gobierno de Mendoza.

Guía de las Mujeres.

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 1997-2001.

Subsecretaría de la Mujer.