Analysis from a transparent look to public policy LGBT of Bogota City
Achievements
Decree 608 adopted on 28 December 2007, established the public policy guidelines for the full guarantee of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, LGBT, on gender identities and sexual orientations in the capital district. As a result of hard work carried out over three years for the LGBT social movement in the city of Bogotá, cross space alliance for full citizenship of people with sexual orientations and gender non-regulatory identities and the agency committee for LGBT public policy.
The decree defines the principles, objectives, strategic processes and components of public policy. Decreed that the direction of public policy is at the head of the Mayor of Bogota; the formulation, monitoring and evaluation is at the head of the District Planning Secretariat through the Secretariat for Women, Gender and Sexual Diversity; which is implemented by different entities of the district capital (Government Secretary, Ministry of Culture Recreation and Sports District Health Department, Social Integration Secretary, Ministry of Education and the District Institute of Community Participation (IDPAC).
The Mayor to meet responsibilities to public policy has the LGBT Advisory Council which includes representatives of government institutions through delegates with vote against the decision and an identity for every LGBT person elected to through a participatory democratic process functions as advisory counselor.
During the first year and three months of work have decreed the LGBT public policy in Bogota, progress has been made in securing full rights for LGBT people through the work done by the various units of the district capital creating conditions through the development of institutional skills, progress in ensuring access, use and enjoyment of the institutional systems of public services, the territorialization of politics and development and adaptation rules at the district level.
It is noteworthy that as a result of this work period was consolidated LGBT Advisory Board, it was formulated with social participation and it is implementing the action plan of public policy (the same is provided in the Plan of Economic and Social Development and Public Works 2008-2012, Positive Bogotá: To Live Better, Respect Diversity Program Bogota, Bogota Project Diversa with the compliance of 40 actions of the Public Policy Program for LGBT 2008-2020).
In turn, formulated the guidelines for public health policy aimed at LGBTI people and the action plan aimed at health sector LGBTI people. It has developed since the Intervention Plan Health Collective training activities targeted at servers and public servant of the state social enterprises, technical assistance, health situation analysis and projection of a comprehensive response from the district and the local. It has established a working team from the health sector that has two district professionals and nine local concerning sexual diversity associated with the ESE in locations of increased presence of LGBTI people.
Also developed the communications campaign "Let the homophobia in the closet." It have been trained from the government to the Metropolitan Police of Bogota has fostered progress in the pact of coexistence that seeks to create safety for LGBT people in the localities through the reduction of violence, discrimination and rights violations, has been consolidated reporting system and collecting information on violations of rights, local initiatives have been supported by groups and social organizations (Strategy Show Trans Park, Conferences Vaccinated against Homotransfobia).
In the education sector, actions has been achieved in generating skills of educators. The IDPAC has managed to consolidate the alliance for full citizenship, has mobilized the participation of social movements in other arenas of decision making (District Council of Social Policy, Women Advisory Council, magistrates, Youth Advisory Council, etc.), Has trained and empowered civil society.
From what has been brewing inter district areas of knowledge management, analysis and data collection: International Seminar on Rights and LGBT Public Policy, Membership consultation on Same-Sex Couples to the Social Security System in Health, District Day for Non-Homophobia and Transphobia NO, Forum for Culture, Heritage and People, etc..
Decree 608 of December 28, 2007 enabled us to operate but it was needed something that would give substance to the policy since being a decree depended on the will of mayors so from various social organizations are encouraged in several periods of the Bogotá council approval of a draft agreement, discussions were unsuccessful, but the political impact and a good period in the balance of power between parties and political blocs in the council led to approval on 12 March 2008 the agreement does not. 371, 2009, “through which establishes guidelines for public policy for the full guarantee of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender - LGBT - and gender identities and sexual orientations in the district capital, and other provisions”, giving a larger public policy from the juridical status.
Conflicts
It is noteworthy that there is progress at different levels of development in each department of the district administration, But that the public policy implementation has also encountered obstacles and difficulties in enforcement, among which may indicate fragmentation of the social movement by special interests groups and LGBT members of a leftist party than by lust for power and take responsibility for the public have not hesitated to trample on other people or public servants who come from social movement; weakening of the institutional committee for the PPLGBT at the capital district (now Inter-Institutional Sexual Diversity) to undermine its purpose and become an area of accountability and no articulation of shares or technical guidelines for action.
Interference with the missionary purpose of public institutions or liability of contractors in charge of the subject in the various institutions by imaginary instances must be coordinated LGBT public policy in the district that put at stake the reputation or the quality of the work of experts and experts on this topic. Limelight in terms of policy affecting the dynamic Iterinstitucional, la quality of produtcs y the expected impact; attacks by some leaders and women leaders of the social movement to servers and public servants covered by the duty or right of citizen oversight discredited the work being done from some government units; barriers based on phobias by sexual orientation and gender identity in the implementation of actions seeking the territorialization of politics in the local; absence of defined budgets for the development of the actions of the Plan of PPLGBT Action in the district capital.
The development of action still depends on political will within many government units; the high turnover of public servants in the agencies responsible for implementation of public policy which affects the continuity of processes and the quality of them. There is no a technique-building discourse and public policy actions that enable all government entities work from the same approach that makes recipients feel that such action exists dispersed or contradictions in some technical and conceptual aspects; in many policy agencies subscribe to a topic and not really a policy limited to activities or actions according to limited resources without actions thought the medium and long term.
It is recognized that cities are moving in as they pursue policies conducive to equity, equality in terms of opportunities, social inclusion, participation through active citizenship and non discrimination, in fact Bogota from the administration of former Mayor Lucho Garzón and the current administration of Mayor Samuel Moreno, with LGBT public policy has made cultural changes are initiated that make the city more livable for LGBTI people but it is important that the policy will become and play the role for which it was created without the results derived from the same were negative.
As a trans person in the city leader and former contractor of a unit of government with political responsibilities from politics I acknowledge their contributions but I have fears that it continue to fragment the social movement, which continues to form in a way that some people come "to power" and achieve economic goals, fear that the LGBT Public Policy and other policies does not have financial resources for implementation and a northern mid-and long-term. Also do not think the LGBT public policy in the city must respond to political circumstances, the decree and now the agreement has enabled us to build dreams and make some realities, But to endure in the policy required the same time requires hand work enter administration allies, councilors and social movements, but something that is obvious were the lessons learned in the implementation of Decree 608, must come a time that you have to make modifications to the 371 Agreement that do not make mistakes with Decree 608.
