MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine city of Rosario to grant allowance to victims of gender violence

“It's quite an achievement for women's groups,” said Rosario councilwoman Norma López who drafted the bill.

The City Hall of Rosario has passed an ordinance whereby victims of gender violence housed in one of the city shelters are to collect a monthly allowance of 2,000 pesos (52 US dollars) during six months, it was reported.

 Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, thus became the first Argentine city to offer such an assistance programme to women victims of gender violence. Expenditures are to be funded from the city's 2019 budget, according to the bill.

“It's quite an achievement for women's groups,” said council  woman Norma López who drafted the bill.

“The allowance will be available for as long as the situation of violence lasts,” López explained. “It will be similar to the Universal Child Assignment,” she added in reference to the money parents receive from the national government to support their children.

The bill also mandates that beneficiaries of the allowance are to attend workshops on gender violence so that they can escape the vicious circles in which they are entangled fully aware of their rights.

López insisted programmes against gender violence must aim at the victim's complete financial independence.

Similar assistance programmes available in Europe only require the alleged victim's word as proof to be activated. Several cases of fraud have been detected.