socioeconomic rights

Guatemala’s Decree No. 7-99 establishes a legal framework to promote the dignity and integral development of women, ensuring equal rights and opportunities in both the public and private sectors. Under Chapter 2, the government must adopt policies to eliminate workplace discrimination against women on the basis of marriage or maternity. Chapter 4 requires the creation of educational campaigns and programs aimed at eliminating gender bias, raising awareness of women’s rights, and preventing violence against women.

A Mississippi abortion clinic and one of its physicians challenged a Mississippi state law, called the Gestational Age Act (“GAA”), which made it illegal for women to obtain abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the GAA’s enforcement during the trial, which was granted.

This law promoted the creation and establishment of a gender affairs observatory (‘Observatorio de Asuntos de Género’). The purpose of the observatory is to identify and select a system of gender indicators, to analyze gender data, and to monitor public and private plans and programs to suggest improvements on policies and regulations aiming for gender equity in Colombia.

The purpose of this law is to improve the quality of life of rural women, prioritizing low-income and economically vulnerable women. It promotes and fosters equality between rural men and women, while containing provisions regarding social security, education, and training.

This law establishes rules that further develop equal opportunities for women. It establishes guidelines for the design of public policies that foster and guarantee the full exercise of women’s political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights, and the free development of their personality, capacities, and aptitudes. The law also appoints the institutions responsible for their execution.

The General Master of Family Court granted custody of a child to the defendant because the plaintiff received public assistance. The issue on appeal was whether receiving public assistance was a legitimate criterion for the denial of child custody. In reversing the Family Court’s ruling for the defendant, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island reiterated the rule that any custody determinations must be based on the best interests of the child and delineated a non-exclusive test to determine the best interest of the child.