MEXICO: First case of feminicide before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Summary:
The document was prepared by the Law Faculty of Toronto University and its “International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme,” and the Centre for Justice and International Law (El Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional - CEJIL).
In January 2009 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights decided to file a claim against the Government of Mexico at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in reference to eight cases of feminicide in Ciudad Juárez.
In February, the Court decided to consider three women as presumed victims in this case, namely: Esmeralda Herrera Monreal; Claudia Ivette González; and Laura Berenice Ramos Monárrez, who disappeared and were murdered in 2001.
The case, known as the “Campo algodonero,” will be the first instance in which the murder of women in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua is to be analysed. Official numbers indicate that more than 350 women were murdered between 1993 and 2005 in Ciudad Juárez. Most of the women were young and came from socially marginalised groups, including the poor and/or migrants. The petitioners argue that “the inefficiency of the investigations shows lack of will from the Government to solve these crimes and to prevent them.”
Judicial bodies from civil society and academia have presented Amicus Curiae, requesting the Court to order the Mexican Government to take the necessary measures to eliminate gender stereotyping, which is the cause of discrimination and violence against women in Ciudad Juárez. Amicus Curiae is a request made by third persons not involved in a lawsuit, who voluntarily offer their opinion on a legal subject or other related aspect, in order to collaborate with the court in resolving the matter.
The document was prepared by the Law Faculty of Toronto University and its “International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme,” and the Centre for Justice and International Law (El Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional - CEJIL), and concludes that “human rights instruments, as interpreted by the regional and international supervision instruments, have pointed out the links between gender stereotyping, discrimination and gender violence against women. Therefore, in order to ensure the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the achievement of substantive equality, the States should take the necessary measures to eliminate discriminatory forms of gender stereotyping, including those forms that promote gender violence.”
[Press release: InStraw]
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