PUERTO Rico declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to a sharp rise in femicide and gender-based violence, with Governor Pedro Pierluisi speaking of a “social evil” that cannot be tolerated.

He condemned all forms of violence against women and promised action to deal with the systemic sexism, inequality and discrimination in the US territory that enables violence against women.

“It is my duty and my commitment as governor to establish a stop to gender violence,” Mr Pierliusi said, adding: "All violence is reprehensible and we have to fight it relentlessly. Gender violence is a social evil, based on ignorance and attitudes that cannot be tolerated in Puerto Rico.” 

Last year, the island registered 6,170 incidents of gender-based violence and 45 femicides among its 3.2 million-strong population, according to the Gender Equity Observatory.

“Another 15 cases of women murdered in 2020 remain under investigation and there is a high probability that they were femicide,” the observatory said. 

This year’s first victim of femicide was nurse Angie Gonzalez, who was killed last week by her husband in front of their three daughters.

The state of emergency has been hailed as a major step forward by women’s organisations, which have led mass protests against gender-based violence and demanded urgent action against it.

Former government Wanda Vasquez implemented similar measures, but her promise of investigations was deemed inadequate. 

Proyecto Matria spokeswoman Amarilis Pagan explained that the group had met with Mr Pierluisi on Friday to present him with guidelines on what is necessary to tackle femicide. 

“For us, it’s a victory because the island has already been requesting for two years the declaration of a state of emergency and, well, it was finally decreed the way it had to be done: with an executive order that includes specific issues to address the violence towards women in Puerto Rico,” she said. 

A new body headed by Department of Family secretary Carmen Gonzalez Magaz will be established to work alongside not-for-profit organisations and academics to ensure the provision of preventative education and the development of public policy in Puerto Rican institutions.

The Committee of Prevention, Support, Rescue and Education on Gender Violence will also include 17 government officials.

A separate government commission will be set up to finance and monitor the implementation of mitigating measures to reduce femicide.