Healthcare-based violence against women strategies to address the problem in Argentina

Abstract

Although violence against women (VAW) is an important public health problem and the role of the healthcare system has been highlighted, evidence of the effectiveness of healthcare-based strategies to address VAW from low- and middle-income countries is scarce. In Argentina, advancement towards integration of VAW has been outstanding at the level of legislation. Nonetheless, Argentina’s health system is one of the most fragmented and segmented in Latin America, and there are regional inequalities. Given this context, the aim of this work is to overview the healthcare-based services’ responses for VAW in Argentina within the public health sector. National and provincial Health Ministries’ websites were reviewed between August–September 2019. Also, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from provincial Health Ministries. The findings revealed that only a few provinces (seven out of 23) were actively seeking to respond to VAW. Training and protocols were the most implemented strategies. Findings show a need to strengthen prevention actions and specialised care services to assist VAW. Also, local data collection concerning the extent of VAW remains a challenge. The creation of VAW units in some provinces and the growing commitment of providers to tackle this problem, are potential strengths within the health sector. To conclude, the crucial role that the health system plays, in a multisector response, is poorly understood. Health-sector leadership and political commitment are needed to involve the sector fully and to provide a platform for effective and collaborative interventions in Argentina.