In April 2010, women human rights defenders (WHRDs) from a diversity of social movements in Mexico and Central America (Mesoamerica) met in Oaxaca, Mexico to participate in the Mesoamerican Gathering of Women Human Rights Defenders. The objective of this gathering was to recognize and analyze the violence that WHRDs in the region face, as well as to promote a regional convergence for their protection, security and strengthening.
One of the results of this gathering was the development of a Mesoamerican in-depth diagnosis on the violence against WHRDs that compiles and systematizes the reflections made by the meeting participants, supplemented by input from a series of preliminary diagnoses in four countries (Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala) that were prepared as input for the gathering.
This diagnosis constitutes one of the first efforts in the region to document the violence that WHRDs face, based on their own experiences and the cases that have been denounced in recent years.
Another outcome of the gathering is the creation of a Mesoamerican WHRD network, which fosters information-sharing on cases and aggressions, joint strategizing on rapid response mechanisms, solidarity and mutual support.
The Mesoamerican Regional Assessment Report was presented in meetings and gatherings in Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to deepen the analysis regarding violence against WHRDs in these countries and to promote joint actions. (This year, we hope that these kinds of meetings will be held in other countries in the region.) In these countries, communications and rapid response networks for urgent cases were also created.
This document builds on the key conclusions of the initial diagnosis conducted in the region; it incorporates new cases and analysis that came out of the national meetings and gatherings, and from the information shared through the Mesoamerican WHRD network.