The Advocates for Human Rights submitted a stakeholder report on gender-based violence and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons in Mexico for the 127th Session of the Human Rights Committee held in October and November of 2019.
Violence against women and LGBTI persons continues to increase throughout Mexico. As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Mexico has an obligation to ensure that all individuals within its territories enjoy the same rights without discrimination based on any distinction, including gender and sexual orientation. Despite some anti-discrimination laws enacted since 2010, however, discrimination and violence against women and LGBTI persons persist, often with the support of law enforcement. Direct reports from clients seeking asylum show Mexico’s failure to protect women and members of the LGBTI community. In 2018 alone, Mexico’s public prosecutor’s offices received 845 investigations into gender-based killings of women. Most investigations of gender-based crimes are inadequate, with perpetrators enjoying impunity.
Mexican authorities fail to implement laws intended to protect violence against women’s dignity, integrity, and freedom, and others have proven ineffective. There is a lack of accountability for perpetrators of violence, and in some cases the police actively collaborate with criminals.
The Advocates propose the following recommendations to the government of Mexico