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Report on Mexico Trip
August 4-12, 2009
Amparo Elisa Guerrero, Vice–President WILPF International
I arrived in Puebla, Mexico, late evening on August 4, 2009, and found my way to the home of Elizabeth Ballen, Coordinator of the WILPF Mexico core group, who was my host for the week. We had planned three types of meetings for my visit: 1) with the core group interested in forming a WILPF Mexico section; 2) with Pueblo State government officials working on women’s issues; and 3) with NGOs focusing on themes affecting women in Mexico. A summary of these meetings follows.
- WILPF Core Group Meetings
I had three meetings with the core group of nine women and three men interested in forming a WILPF Mexico section. In these meetings, I presented the history of WILPF, showed the movie Train to Peace (about WILPF’s participation in the 4th International World Conference of Women in Beijing in 1995). I discussed UN Resolutions 1325 and 1820, reviewed the WILPF Constitution and by-laws, introduced WILPF’s current program and explained the process by which a core group forms a national WILPF section.
The participants were extremely enthusiastic and interested in these presentations. The group is composed of professionals, university students, two husbands of members and a young feminist male student.
We also developed a work plan for the group that included: doing outreach to obtain more members; studying the program and Constitution; exploring the issues they will work on as a section in the context of Mexico’s social and political reality; deciding on the type of legal entity that they want form and developing their own by-laws and constitution.
Members of this core group also participated in the meetings I had with the Puebla State government officials and NGOs described below.
Meetings with Puebla State Officials
I had three meetings with representatives of two government entities: Istituto Poblano de la Mujer and Departmento Integral de la Familia. The Instituto Poblano presented the State of Puebla’s program to prevent, attend, sanction and eradicate the violence against women in the public sector 2008-2011. Representatives of this government agency presented the context of violence against women in the State of Puebla and the type of work that needs to be done. The Instituto’s focus is on state and municpal government entities. They educate public employees and public officials, such as mayors, judges, and other public administrators. The idea was to form collaboration between the WILPF core group and this state agency involved with violence against women on the public level.
I had two meetings with Department Integral de la Familia (DIF), Puebla. In the first, we learned about DIF’s activities to prevent violence against women and children. They have a program they call the “Observatorio Ciudadanos Contra la Violencia” (Citizen’s Observatory Against Violence) where they register reported cases and provide a Resource Center that provides medical, legal, and social services and information designed to educate, prevent, represent and attend to women and children affected by violence. This organization works directly with the community.
In this first meeting, I presented WILPF international’s program and activities, and discussed some of the programs WILPF Colombia has promoted to address similar issues. The government officials were very impressed and asked for a second meeting to continue our conversation. DIF is planning a special event on November 25, 2009 in honor of the UN International Day Against Violence Against Women. They also wanted to brainstorm about ideas for this commemoration. We (WILPF Mexico core group members and I) presented our thoughts and participated in the planning for this event.
The two meetings facilitated collaboration between the WILPF Mexico core group and DIF government officials. Representatives from both will jointly organize the November 25, 2009 event. DIF Puebla has also invited me to return to Puebla in November to participate in the festivities.
- Meetings with NGOs
I had one meeting with members from various NGOs and student groups. Specifically, attending were students and faculty from University of Puebla, University of IberAmerica, University Popular de Puebla, University Autonoma de Puebla, members from an association of women campesinas, representatives from the workers and farmers union of Puebla, and other non-profits.
Participants talked about the social political realities affecting women in women in Puebla and Mexico. We analyzed the impact of narco trafficking and the Juarez femicidios on Mexican women and discussed the challenges that indigenous women face in the context of Mexico’s ethnic diversity. We also did a reflection about how free trade agreements and especially, the maquilas have affected this population.
This was a brainstorming session about the social, political and cultural context in Mexico. It gave the core group ideas about the types of issues and political commitments they may wish to address as a WILPF section.
CONCLUSION
The visit was excellent. The meetings were informative, productive, collaborative and analytical. The core group is committed and enthusiastic about continuing the work needed to form a WILIPF section. They want to participate in the next Congress and be approved as the WILPF Mexico section.
I want to thank the Executive Committee for its commitment and vision and for supporting me in our efforts to build a new Latin American section. Special thanks also go to Lizzie Poole of Summerland, Florida, US Section, who donated $500.00 for this trip and helped make it a reality.
Finally, I want acknowledge the members of the Mexico core group, and especially, Elizabeth Ballen, Coordinator, who organized the meetings and agenda, made contacts with the NGOs and State government organizations and gave me a warm welcome and ample hospitality during my stay.
I LOVE MEXICO!!
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