URGENT ACTION

WOMEN’S RIGHTS PROTECTION AT RISK
On 23 April, the Mexican government suspended funding for different programmes to attend the COVID-19 pandemic, including that of the Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Women Shelters (CAMIs). These shelters provided direct support to victims of violence and undertook prevention work. The government has not been transparent about how these cuts could affect other programmes that support and care for women victims of violence. We call on the government to ensure all programmes protecting women against violence have access to resources to continue their vital work. 

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Olga María del Carmen Sánchez Cordero Dávila
Minister of Interior
Abraham González 48, Juárez,
 Cuauhtémoc, 06600 
Ciudad de México, CDMX
secretario@segob.gob.mx 
Twitter: @M_OlgaSCordero @SEGOB_mx

Dear Minister Sánchez Cordero,

I have been made aware that the Mexican government suspended support for the Casas de la Mujer Indígena o Afromexicana (CAMI) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate the efforts the government has made to respond to the pandemic; nevertheless, the protection of women’s rights at these times is essential and should be made a priority within the Ministry. Cutting the funds for the CAMIs and any other services that prevent violence and support and care for women who have been victims of violence puts thousands of Mexican women at risk and curtails their right to live without violence.

We urge you to prioritize the protection of women’s rights within the Ministry, ensuring resources for the CAMIs and other programmes aimed at protecting women against violence during the pandemic.  

Yours sincerely,

Additional information

The Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP), registered 26,171 emergency calls related to violence against women during March 2020, when the first cases of COVID-19 emerged and the call to stay at home began in the country. This, in contrast with the 21,727 calls registered in February. During April and May 2020, the registered number of emergency calls were 21,722 and 19,975 respectively. 
On 23 April, the President announced shortages to the federal budget for 2020 to mitigate the socio-economic consequences created by COVID-19. The cuts are already having a toll on several social programs, including those addressing gender-based violence in the country. 
Resources for the program to strengthen Indigenous peoples, which includes resources for the Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Women Shelters (CAMIs), were temporarily suspended. Because of this suspension, nearly a third of them have stopped providing the comprehensive care they were providing up until May, which undermines the right of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican women to live without violence and their access to justice. 
The government has still not made clear if and how these budget cuts can affect other programmes aimed at care and support women that have been victims of violence and other women’s rights programmes.

The services provided by Indigenous or Afro-Mexican Women Shelters enables Indigenous and Afro-Mexican women to access their rights. They are a space where Indigenous and/or Afro-Mexican women are provided with culturally acceptable care and support. The houses are operated with respect for gender perspective and human rights and work for prevention of violence against women and promotion sexual and reproductive rights.
PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 10 August 2020 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Casas de la Mujer Indígena o Afro-Mexicana and other organizations that protect women’s rights. (they, them).

And copies to:
Embassy of Mexico
16 St. George Street W1S 1FD
Switchboard: (44-20) 7499 8586
E-Mail: mexuk@sre.gob.mx 
Web Page: http://www.sre.gob.mx/reinounido 

SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDANCE 

Sample message
#COVID19 should not put at risk women’s rights. Programmes that care for and support women victims of violence in #Mexico are in danger of closing down. @M_OlgaSCordero, make women’s rights a priority & ensure resources to protect them.