The Government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, accompanied by the insular director of the General Administration of the State in Lanzarote, Pedro Viera, presented Olivia Cedrés Rodríguez this Friday, November 21, with the Medal for the Promotion of Equality Values, awarded by the Ministry of Equality of the Government of Spain. Olivia Cedrés was supported by the mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, the councilor for Social Services of Yaiza, César Rijo, public representatives, state security forces and bodies, family members, and friends.
At the award ceremony, held at the headquarters of the Insular Directorate of the General State Administration in Lanzarote, Anselmo Pestana acknowledged Olivia Cedrés's contribution as a member of the Spanish Parliament to the achievement of the Organic Law on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence, the 20th anniversary of which is being celebrated: "her support and commitment to equality and justice were essential for this law to become a reality. Today we grant her this recognition, because we know that without her work, this fundamental step in the fight against gender violence would not have been achieved".
Olivia Cedrés is the current coordinating technician for the Social Services Area of Yaiza and in her speech, **she highlighted the role of local councils in protecting women's rights** and their work in preventing and addressing cases of gender-based violence in coordination with police forces."The twentieth anniversary of this law is not only a moment to celebrate the achievements made, and to recognize all the men and women who made it possible from different fields, but also to renew our determination to eradicate sexist violence," emphasized the Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, who also recalled the 1,333 women murdered due to gender-based violence since records began. This year alone, 38 women have died as victims of this scourge that shakes society.
Right at the beginning of her emotional and powerful speech, Olivia Cedrés wanted to reflect "the pain that we defenders of democracy feel for each and every one of the victims of gender-based violence who have lost their lives in our country, due to the repugnant existence of the scourge of criminal machismo that has blinded many lives and that makes us get up every day to continue fighting for effective Equality between women and men".
The Medal for the Promotion of Equality Values is an award granted on an individual basis by Order of the Minister of Equality, at the proposal of the Secretary of State for Equality and the Eradication of Violence against Women, with the aim of recognizing the work of those individuals who have distinguished themselves in a relevant way in the exercise and promotion of equality values and in the elimination of all forms of discrimination based on any personal or social condition
This 2025, the Government of Spain has granted this distinction to 94 individuals, who contributed to the legislative approval of the Organic Law for Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence, among whom are María del Carmen Castellano, Patricia Hernández, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, José Mendoza, Román Rodríguez, and Gustavo Santana.
The Yaiza City Council publicly congratulates Olivia Cedrés for "her undeniable commitment to the fight for equality".
