P.R. Laws tit. 1, § 312
The Women’s Advocate Office is hereby created as an independent legal entity, separate from any other public agency or entity. The Office shall be headed by the Women’s Advocate, who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Women’s Advocate shall be appointed for a term of ten (10) years until her successor is appointed and takes office. Compensation for the office of Advocate shall be fixed by the Governor, which shall never be less than that of a Judge of the Court of Appeals.
The Governor, without impairing his/her constitutional prerogatives, may request and receive recommendations about possible candidates to hold this office from the government sector and from groups that advocate women’s rights and gender equality.
The Governor, after notice and hearing, may declare the office of the Advocate vacant due to physical or mental disability that prevents the Advocate from discharging the functions of her office; negligence in the discharge of her functions; or dereliction of duty.
The appointee to this office shall be a woman of renowned professional capabilities and independent judgment who has stood out for her commitment to the defense of women’s rights and the fight against all manifestations of oppression, marginalization, and discrimination, and for her respect for diversity. She shall also be willing to continuously analyze the situation of women from a gender-based perspective.
History —Apr. 11, 2001, No. 20, § 4; Aug. 9, 2010, No. 124, § 1.