COLIMA, MEXICO. (April 9, 2021) .- The Human Rights Commission of the State of Colima (CDHEC) determined that the rights of a resident doctor of the Regional University Hospital (HRU) were violated. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (SSBS ) did not act appropriately to protect her from the sexual and psychological harassment she suffered from her area manager.
In this regard, the agency issued recommendation 01/2021, addressed to the head of the SSBS, Leticia Guadalupe Delgado Carrillo, in which it considered that this agency violated the human rights of the victim since it had the obligation to protect and privilege the physical, psychological and emotional well-being of the complainant.
Based on the investigations carried out, testimonies, opinions and evidence, the CDHEC confirmed that the SSBS failed to take the necessary actions to guarantee the right to legality and legal security for the complainant, in the processing, procedure and resolution before the Ethics Committee and Prevention of Conflicts of Interest.
“It was also observed that the necessary measures were not taken to protect the complainant, since the evidence obtained showed that she was changed from work area to the Maternal and Child Hospital, where she was later under the orders of to the same person identified as her aggressor; a situation that obviously put her integrity and personal safety at risk ”.
According to the complaint of the resident doctor, the events occurred between the months of August and October 2019, when she suffered sexual harassment and harassment by the head of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the HRU, for which she filed a complaint with the hospital and with the State Human Rights Commission, and a complaint at the Women’s Justice Center, where she obtained a restraining order against the aggressor.
In its recommendation, the CDHEC asked the SSBS to initiate the investigation procedure to determine the administrative or judicial responsibilities against the responsible public servants, for the application of the corresponding sanctions, as well as to carry out the necessary actions for the Comprehensive reparation of the damage to the complainant and the psychological attention that she requires is provided.
In another of the recommendations, the organization asked that a public apology be offered to the aggrieved person for the violation of her human rights since she is in a vulnerable situation because she is a woman and a victim of violence.
The CDHEC considered it necessary for the SSBS to grant compensation or, where appropriate, take charge of repairing the non-pecuniary damage presented by the complainant, as well as executing a comprehensive training and education program aimed at its personnel, including issues related to human rights, and especially the rights of women, with the objective that the public servants involved can carry out their functions in a timely, effective and legal manner.
Source: Proceso
