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Amnesty International Issues Alternative Report to

Monday, March 16, 2009
Amnesty International submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in February 2009 as part of Mexico’s Universal Periodic Review. The report highlighted problems in the area of violence against women, in particular, the prevalence of domestic violence in Mexico and the femicides in Ciudad Juarez along the U.S.-Mexican border. Amnesty International’s report was reviewed by the Council, along with a report by the Mexican government and information from other international treaty bodies, on 10 February 2009.

The Amnesty report stated that in 2006, 67 percent of women over the age of 15 experienced domestic violence. A quarter of those surveyed reported physical or sexual violence by their partner. Also, more shelters exist today than before, but are not used enough, and protective orders are also underused and under-enforced.

Regarding violations by state authorities in Guadalajara, Jalisco State, in 2004, and in Oaxaca State and in San Salvador Atenco, Mexico State, in 2006, the Amnesty report recommends that the government “[e]nsure that military personnel accused of human rights violations are investigated and tried in the civilian courts, including those accused of rape of indigenous women.” It also noted that more than 25 women were murdered in Ciudad Juarez between January and July 2008, a problem that has persisted since 1993.

The Human Rights Council Working Group’s report noted that the Mexican Constitution and Federal Act to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination prohibit discrimination against women. Mexico stated that they are working to promote gender equality in the public and private spheres and that they will work to address and prevent the violence in Ciudad Juarez, including through the establishment of two crime labs in the area and ongoing investigations.

Compiled from: Mexico: Amnesty International Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review, Fourth session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, February 2009; Draft of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Mexico, Human Rights Council, United Nations General Assembly, A/HRC/WG.6/4/L.13, 17 February 2009 [PDF, 30 pages].

For More Information

For more information, please see the Femicide and United Nations sections of this website. Also, see the What's New articles on Violence in Mexico and Mexican Law.

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