Once again, as part of Mother’s Day celebrations in Mexico, on Saturday, 10 May, the collectives that search for disappeared persons have convened “Marches for Dignity” throughout the country to recall that for many mothers, this date is not one for celebration, but a time to denounce, recognize and demand guarantees for their dignified and tireless demand for truth and justice for their sons, daughters and family members who are victims of forced disappearance.  

Given the ineffectiveness, omissions, and – in many cases – collusion of State authorities with organized crime, these mothers, daughters, sisters have organized themselves in collectives, thus becoming women defenders of the right to truth, justice and reparation. In addition to denouncing and making demands of State authorities, these women defenders often take on the work of conducting investigations and searching on the ground. One example is the horrific discovery a few months ago of an extermination camp in Teuchitlan, Jalisco – the existence of which the searching collectives had been raising alarm about for some time.

In addition to the tremendous pain that our sister defenders face, their work investigating and searching puts them at great risk, with constant threats and harassment, endangering their lives.

• Between 2020 and 2024, we registered 1,383 attacks against 321 women defenders and 22 organizations that defend the right to truth, justice and reparation in Mexico. This accounts for 15% of all attacks against women defenders registered in the country during the period.

• The states that stand out for the number of registered attacks are Mexico City, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Quintano Roo, Morelos, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Michoacan and Oaxaca.

• Since 2019, at least 16 searching women defenders have been killed. This represents one out of every three women defenders killed in Mexico during the period. The perpetrators of 15 of these femicides were unknown persons.

• To these numbers, we add 15 attempted killings, where it was only through luck that the women defenders were able to save their lives. Among the perpetrators of the attempted killings, organized crime appears in at least 8 of the cases.

• The main types of attacks registered, in addition to femicide and attempted femicide, are forced disappearances; kidnapping; harassment; restrictions and attacks for gathering, obtaining or possessing information; threats; surveillance; incitement to violence; and physical violence. 

• Municipal authorities account for 46% of the perpetrators, often in collusion with organized crime – federal public authorities are responsible in 28% of the cases, the police in 16%, and armed forces in 1.86%.

• The perpetrators are unknown persons in 39% of attacks, of which 11% take place in the digital sphere. 

• 32% (1 in 3) of attacks took place despite the woman defender being a beneficiary of protection measures, granted primarily by the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.

• Elements of gender discrimination were identified in 42% of the attacks, with the most relevant actions including the discrediting of the searching women’s work and leadership; expressions of sexual violence and misogynist expressions; and threats to harm their children (including sexual threats, kidnapping, physical assault, etc.).

All this data hurts us as Mesoamerican women defenders; it hurts the families, collectives and organizations that never stop searching for their disappeared persons and demanding truth and justice for them; and it hurts us as a society. And so, on a date like today, we recognize the tireless work of the searching mothers defending truth, justice and reparation in Mexico, a struggle that is also present in other countries in the region.

We embrace them all and add our voices to their dignified demand for truth and justice.