Women
Mexico: Ciudad Juárez Update
On October 14, 2003 Micalela Felix Alvarado's battered body was found near her home on the fringes of Ciudad Juárez. Even before a full investigation was launched an official spokesperson made statements in the media that attempted to exclude the case from the pattern of violence against women by downplaying the violence she suffered and revealing details of her private life.
Approximately 370 women have been murdered in the last decade in Ciudad Juárez and neighbouring communities in the industrial zone along the US-Mexico border. Officials acknowledge that at least 70 other women remain missing, although some activist organizations in the region put that number as high as 400.
| "For what we say, for what is reported in the papers and for asking for justice we are repressed, we are followed and we are threatened. Because for them asking for justice is a crime". (Evangelina Arce) |
In the last year, violence against women in the cities of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua has received considerable attention in Mexico and beyond. This unprecedented attention has led the federal government and its agencies to take action on the concerns expressed by the families of the victims. For example, a Special Commissioner with responsibility to "promote the effective and real enjoyment of human rights of all the inhabitants of Ciudad Juárez, but especially women" was put in place. A new position of federal Special Prosecutor was created to work with the Joint Investigating and Prosecution Agency for the Investigation of the Murders of Women.
Despite these new initiatives, there is still widespread concern that the response of local and federal authorities is still not sufficient to ensure the end to the abduction and murder of girls and women.
- The investigating and judicial authorities, particularly at state level, have treated the murder of women and young girls as individual criminal acts rather than as part of a pattern of violence against women. This has limited the response of the state which has meant that the urgent need for preventive measures has not been addressed.
- The Special Commissioner's mandate and powers are insufficient to ensure that the Office can play an effective role. For example, necessary Federal government resources are not being made available to the Office of the Commissioner, limiting her ability to fulfill her responsibilities.
- There have been consistent allegations of torture made by suspects detained and interrogated by state judicial police. These allegations have never been properly investigated, undermining the credibility of investigations and violating the fundamental rights of suspects and families of victims.
- There have been reports of a number of incidents of intimidation, harassment and threats against some families of victims and representatives of women's organizations working with the relatives
Please Take Action:
Got 5 minutes? Then write to the state authorities in your own words or adapt the following:
Write to:
Governor of Chihuahua State
Lic. Patrício Martínez
Aldama 901
Colonia Centro
Chihuahua State
Mexico
I am concerned about the continuing brutal cycle of abductions and murders of young women in Ciudad Juárez and the city of Chihuahua. To end this cycle, I urge you to:
- acknowledge the serious pattern of violence against women in Ciudad Juárez and Chichuahua over the last 11 years
- cooperate fully and transparently with all federal initiatives to end violence against women
- take immediate steps to stop all smear campaigns against victims’ relatives and organizations working on their behalf
Got 15 minutes? Then write to the federal authorities in your own words or adapt the following:
Write to:
President of the Republic
Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de "Los Pinos"
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec
México D.F., C.P. 11850
Mexico
Fax: : + 52 5 2 77 23 76
I understand that a number of measures have been undertaken by the federal authorities to prevent and prosecute acts of violence against women in Ciudad Juárez and the city of Chihuahua. However, the brutal cycle of abductions and murders of young women in Ciudad Juárez and the city of Chihuahua has not ended.
The Federal Government must stop the violence by addressing a number of outstanding concerns. The range of recommendations made by national and international human rights organizations still need to be effectively implemented. There are four immediate actions that must be taken by the Federal Government:
- A gender perspective must be integrated into every measure taken to prevent and investigate all forms of violence against women and girls in the state of Chihuahua
- An independent review must be urgently established to re-examine the cases of all those detained in connection with the killings and abductions where torture and other human rights violations have been alleged
- The Special Commissioner must receive necessary resources and be provided with support from all relevant authorities to ensure that her office can play a full and effective role in coordinating the judicial response to existing cases as well as the task of leading initiatives to rebuild the social fabric of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua
- Smear campaigns and harassment of victims’ relatives and organizations working on their behalf must be stopped immediately. Official orders must be published and enforced to prevent officials from making unfounded public statements and those responsible for acts of harassment must be brought to justice
Recent Reports:
Mexico: Ending the brutal cycle of violence against women in Ciudad Juárez and the city of Chihuahua
Developments as of September 2003
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