Even though the Committee of Experts (CEVI) of the OAS adopted the Declaration on Femicide more than ten years ago, the gap between the existence of laws that criminalize this behavior and the punishment of those responsible for the crimes persists. This new Inter-American Model Law to Prevent, Punish and Eradicate the Violent Death of Women (Femicide-Feminicide) seeks to provide an integrated overview of the issue and serve as a tool for States and other parties interested in the defense of women’s rights, to enjoy the highest standard of protection and interpretation currently available to guarantee and demand the rights established in the Belém do Pará Convention.

The purpose of this Model Law, when enacted, is to prevent, punish and eradicate the gender-based murder of women, femicide/feminicide, whether committed by a partner or ex-partner, any individual or group of individuals with whom the women had or may have had an interpersonal relationship, or agents of the government.