The Government of Argentina has given a significant step in the protection of the rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents by regulating Law 27,709, known as “Lucio Law”. This law was passed after the tragic murder of Lucio Dupuy, a 5-year-old boy who suffered a brutal beating by his mother and her partner.
The regulations establish the creation of the Federal Training Plan on the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, of a continuous, permanent and mandatory nature for those who work in areas and dependencies of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches of the National State. The training will aim promote good treatment, prevent and early detect situations of violence against children and adolescents, and disseminate resources for counseling and reporting cases of violence.
The Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and Family (Senaf) will be responsible for developing an initial training course within the next 90 days. In addition, the law guarantees the protection of whistleblowers, safeguarding their identity and security. Failure to comply with training It will be considered a serious offense and will be subject to sanctions according to the regulations in force regarding National Public Employment.
The case of Lucio Dupuy shocked Argentine society and generated an urgent call to implement measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future. It was revealed that the child had been assisted on several occasions for polytrauma without reporting the mistreatment he suffered.
The law will empower Senaf to establish agreements and conventions with agencies of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, and may also extend the training to provincial and municipal administrations, as well as social, sports, recreational and cultural organizations.
Besides, Senaf will carry out annual awareness campaigns on the rights of children and adolescents to sensitize the public. The degree of compliance with this law will be publicly accessible and disseminated by Senaf, using quantitative and qualitative indicators, statistics and evaluations of the impact of training.
With the regulation of the “Lucio Law”, the Argentine Government seeks to create a framework of prevention and comprehensive protection of the rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, in order to avoid future situations of violence and promote a safe and respectful environment for all the minors.
It may interest you: What is the “Lucio Law” about?