Human Rights Mexico Project #36476

Help Mothers of the Disappeared Find Justice

by Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia A.C.

Summary

Since the start of Mexicos drug war in 2006, more than 37,000 people have disappeared. Authorities are often involved in the disappearances or are unwilling to resolve them, which has led to hundreds of mothers forming collectives throughout the country to personally search for their loved ones and to seek justice for these wrongdoings. We provide capacity-building training to these mothers in order to empower them in exercising their rights to justice, to the truth, and to receive reparations.

$5,000
total goal

$3,415
remaining

30
donors

0
monthly donors

2
months

Challenge

Due to the high levels of corruption and impunity that exist in Mexico, most forced disappearance cases are not being properly investigated, let alone prosecuted. As a result, many of the victims relatives have no choice but to personally search for their loved ones, build networks and pressure officials, using limited resources. The collectives mostly consist of mothers of disappearance victims, often from marginalized and impoverished areas, with few resources and a low level of education.

Solution

Through empowerment and knowledge, the mothers of the collectives will learn how to fight for their rights as indirect victims of forced disappearance. We provide training on how to: demand their right to the truth, obtain an honest investigation; demand their right to justice, find and prosecute the perpetrators; and how to demand their right to receive reparations, both material and/or symbolic.

Long-Term Impact

With this particular project we will train 20 mothers on how to effectively exercise their rights. As a result, they will become key players in the public debate regarding disappearances. Most of the mothers we trained nowadays play an active role in the dialogue between the authorities and the families of victims. Notably, all of the participants in the 16 collectives we support in the State of Veracruz, played active roles in the drafting and implementation of Mexicos New Disappearance Law.