State Reports - CEDAW - Mexico - CEDAW/C/MEX/3-4/Add.1 (1997)

* For the initial report submitted by the Government of Mexico, see CEDAW/C/5/Add.2; for its consideration by the Committee, see CEDAW/C/SR.13 and CEDAW/C/SR.17, and Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-ninth Session, Supplement No.45 (A/39/45) vol. I, paras. 67-89; for the second periodic report submitted by the Government of Mexico, see CEDAW/C/13/Add.10 and CEDAW/C/13/Add.10/Amend.1; for its consideration by the Committee, see CEDAW/C/SR.163, and Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-fifth Session, Supplement No.38 (A/45/38), paras. 350-369.

Pursuant to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Mexico submitted to the Committee of Experts on Discrimination Against Women a document consolidating its third and fourth reports which describes the measures taken in this connection and the progress made in implementation of this international instrument in Mexico between 1992 and the present.

The report was prepared jointly by the Coordination Office of the National Programme for Women (PRONAM) and the Women's Affairs Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the basis of information obtained from the government agencies responsible for the matters covered by the Convention.

The Committee's recommendations includes one on bringing this report to the attention of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other interested groups so that they may say what they think about the information provided. To this end, in April 1997 the PRONAM Coordination Office sent the whole report or the parts connected with their areas of interest to a number of bodies, including NGOs, the academic world, political parties, legislative organs, trade unions, and civic associations.

There now follow both the observations made by the organizations concerned and a list of all the bodies consulted on this topic.

Lic. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the National Action Party (PAD).

* On 21 June 1996 the Congress of the State of Sonora stated in article 89 of its Electoral Code that no party should have more than 80 per cent of its candidates of the same sex. However, it should be pointed out in the report that this 80 per cent recommendation was met only in part.

* In Yucatan the Congress of Yucatan Women was held in November 1996 at the invitation of the State Government, with a view to discussing among other things the question of political participation, as indicated in the report. It should be added that the Governor of Guanajuato also convened and held a Women's Congress in Guanajuato on 24 September 1996 on the topic "For a life without violence: combating violence against women".

* In this paragraph it is important to point out that the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) emphasizes the mandatory provision that in no case may a proportion of over 70 per cent of activists of the same sex be included in the national and regional lists of candidates in general elections. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) makes this same point but only as a non-binding recommendation. In the current contest these parties have had difficulties in meeting this percentage both in the single-name and in the multi-name lists.

* It should be added that the National Action Party (PAN), one of the country's most representative parties, agreed to use affirmative action known as "acción preferencial", which means that, capabilities being equal, women candidates must be chosen. This resulted in an increase in the percentage of women in constituencies where there was a high probability of their being elected to the federal and local congresses; in the list for the Senate two women were among the first five places (40 per cent).

* Some studies indicate that affirmative action should be "top-down" in order to involve the whole organization, since a leadership committed to affirmative action is the variable factor which can determine the success of such action. This has been achieved by the present National President of PAN, as can be seen from the 23 per cent of women on its National Executive Committee (CEN) and in the nomination of women candidates (49 per cent) in the multi-name lists which CEN submitted to its National Convention.

Dra. Ma. de la Luz Lima Malvido, Vice-President of the Mexican Criminology Association.

* With regard to the changes designed to educate the new generations, stereotypes must indeed be eliminated and not accepted, as stated in the report; in addition, goals must be conceptualized anew in accordance with the cultural and economic requirements of modern life.

* With regard to the associations and coalitions of women seeking to combine their efforts to solve their biggest problems, the recognition, enjoyment and exercise of rights must be incorporated in the report's sole reference to human rights.

* It must likewise be added that these organizations also operate mechanisms to prevent, deal with and punish violence against women.

* With regard to changing attitudes in civil society and government circles in Mexico, it must be pointed out that the efforts of the government sector are designed to establish a balance between the rights of the perpetrator of a crime and those of the victims of the crime.

* It must be pointed out that the problems of crime in big towns, including Mexico City, have changed. This is due to the emergence of new kinds of organization and increased violence in the commission of ordinary crimes; the situation has become accentuated in the past five years, not ten years as stated in the report.

* This increase in crime has compelled the Government to establish priorities and set up specialized services.

* It should be pointed out in connection with the institutional analysis of the incidence of crime that the percentage of reports of sexual crimes is extremely low; there is still a large number of unreported cases.

* This paragraph might be replaced by one stating that little scientific research has been carried out in Mexico on the phenomenon of domestic violence which, without any doubt, is one of our society's most painful problems.

* The report states that there are no statistics on this question; it must be pointed out that such statistics do exist, in particular on cases of battered women, but that each body compiles its statistics differently and that some institutions do not produce them. However, the problem has not been neglected.

* Following the extensive review of existing legislation on sexual offences in 1989 it should be added that the 1991 penal reform includes males in crimes which had not addressed them - rape of minors, for example.

* It is suggested that the report should state that the review of legislation concerned the Criminal Code of the Federal District. In some of the federative bodies it was argued that unless the Federal Criminal Code was amended, the changes could not be introduced throughout the country.

* It is also important to point out that the review of sexual offences was the result of a series of measures taken not only by the Mexican Government but also by the Legislature, whose members took into account specific documents prepared by an interdisciplinary group made up mainly of members of civil society.

* It must be pointed out that the Federal Legislature and the Assembly of Representatives of the Federal District were the bodies which instituted the consultation on various dates of civic groups which had extensive experience of supporting the victims of sexual offences and that they were generally consulted on the topic of violence against women.

* With regard to the two levels covered by the specialized agencies for the care of victims of sexual offences, it must be pointed out that specially trained staff are required for both levels. This means medical, psychological and social personnel, as well as specialized governmental and police personnel, and not "personnel of the highest calibre" as stated in the report.

* Three specialized sexual offence agencies were established in the Federal District in 1989 and a fourth in 1990. The report states that all four agencies were established in 1989.

* It should be pointed out that following the creation of these specialized agencies the need emerged to establish support centres for the victims and their family members.

* With regard to the constitutional reforms which establish the obligation of the State to provide legal assistance for the victims of crime, it would be useful to add a reference to a victim's right to assist the Public Prosecutor, in addition to his rights to receive compensation for harm and emergency medical treatment.

* In the subparagraph concerning the Organic Act of the PGJDF it should be stated that the Legislature was the body which insisted on the inclusion in this legislation of the Sub-Department for Care of Victims and Community Services.

* With regard to the action taken by PRONAM to combat violence, subparagraph 4 mentions the promotion of research and the preparation and dissemination of statistics; it should be added that these statistics must be uniform.

* It should also be added in subparagraph 6 that PRONAM operates machinery to improve the access of women victims of violence to the judicial systems.

Dra. María del Carmen Elu de Leñero, Technical Secretary of the non-governmental organization Iniciativa por una Maternidad sin Riesgos en México.

* Among the aims of the Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programme, which is mentioned in the report, it would be useful to add the following aim: to promote the elimination of domestic violence against pregnant women and create machinery for identifying cases during antenatal checks, and to take action for their special care. (Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programme, 1995-2000).

* It should be added that the significant gender difference in the life expectancy indicator, which can be regarded as favourable to women, entails the need to give special attention to the many women who live alone in the last years of their life in precarious socio-economic and health conditions.

* In connection with the rise in maternal mortality in 1994 and 1995 it should be added that a new death certificate was introduced in 1993 which identifies maternal deaths more clearly. This increase may also be a result of the economic crisis which has affected the country in recent years, influencing both the general health conditions of the people and the possibilities of expanding the cover and improving the quality of the health services.

* It should be pointed out in this same paragraph, which states that the perinatal death rate is still high, that this is the case mainly in rural areas and on the fringes of the big towns.

* A new paragraph might be inserted between paragraphs 283 and 284 stating that NGOs, particularly women's groups, have substantially increased in recent years their action to reduce the maternal mortality and morbidity rates and to improve reproductive health.

* In the action to promote health care for women the reference should be to the initiation of the use of the "Expectant mother's card" and not to the use of the card.

* It should be added that the efforts to expand the antenatal care coverage are being accompanied by improvements in quality, for it has been found that this is an essential factor if antenatal care is to meet its objectives.

* With regard to the statement that for care during childbirth it is necessary to intensify the training of community workers and traditional midwives in correct childbirth care, it should be added that it is also necessary to increase the effectiveness of the systems and their capacity to cope with high-risk pregnancies.

* With regard to childbirth in health centres, it should be added that the increase in Caesarian sections in recent years without medical justification is a source of particular concern owing to the accompanying risks to the health of women. This is why the Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programme has proposed that such deliveries should be limited to cases "when there are specific medical indications in conformity with the official standards".

* With respect to the information given in this section, which mentions the continued training of traditional midwives in most of the States which have this programme, it should however be added that the positive results of this training depend to a large extent on the proper operation of the system of reference and on the capacity of the health units to provide satisfactory care for the women in question.

* In the subparagraph on the priority action taken by PRONAM to encourage the participation of women in rural development by means of programmes, mention should be made of the training, extension and rural infrastructure programmes carried out by the Ministry of Rural Development.

* It would be useful to add in this paragraph a sixth subparagraph stating that in one year 40 million pesos were spent on direct activities with 134,737 women, i.e. 32 per cent of the total budget of the Department of Rural Development in its Rural Equipment Programme (promotion of various farming activities, vegetable and fruit farms, demonstration models of hydroponics and plant nurseries, and mainly support for small enterprises).

Lic. Beatriz Paredes Rangel, Secretary-General of the National Rural Confederation.

With the same objectives, the following information about considerable progress in this area should be included:

For the National Rural Confederation encouragement of the participation of women in development was established in articles 9, 10 and 11 of the Confederation's statute, in accordance with the reform of the statute of August 1995, which establishes a department for promotion of programmes for rural women as a unit providing specialized support to encourage and monitor specific programmes for women. The statute establishes for the first time an official independent rural women's organization, for in March 1996, on the basis of these articles, the National Network of Rural Women in Action was established as a response which gives direction to the open and inclusive participation of women in coping with the current challenges.

The Network bases its activities on grassroots leadership by women in our communities and it is a new form of supportive participation by women holding shares in common land (ejidatarias, day labourers, farmers, small landowners, professionals and all kinds of rural women and women who identify with them in the fight for the rural cause in Mexico.

Providing support for the organization of rural women and promoting their development is the task of the women of the Network: to create an alternative mode of participation so that every one of its members, in accordance with her culture, ethnic origin or productive work, is represented and has her expectations met - that is our commitment.

A special characteristic of the work is the aim of promoting the integrated development of rural women and the implementation of public programmes which work for their development in order to foster and strengthen the family nucleus as the basis of rural society.

At present the Network has offices in 25 of the country's federative entities, and it has established direct contacts with more than 250,000 rural women. The Network has also developed a strategy of establishing links with young people of rural origin who are studying in the agriculture technology education system and with teachers in rural areas, as a means of encouraging the Countryside-Teacher Alliance.

The National Network gives priority in its work to programmes on farming, jobs and improvement of incomes, health, education and human rights, priorities to which we have committed ourselves with the understanding and support of social institutions and groups.

The National Federation of UAIMs and Economic Organizations of Rural Women was set up under the Network's auspices; this is an independent organization whose basic purpose is to support the economic management of their small enterprises by rural women.

The Federation's aims are to create throughout the rural sector a collective awareness of the role of the rural women members of economic organizations for the development of the countryside and family welfare: to promote and encourage mechanisms of association which make best use of financial capacities and provide greater opportunities for access to training, as well as strengthening the forms of education, increasing productivity and improving the quality of products, encouraging the development of women's potentials and the personal and family development of members of the UAIM and the economic organizations participating in the Federation.

One early achievement of this Federation was to provide training in management activities for 1,800 rural women belonging to 600 UAIMs in the 31 States of the Republic, by means of bursaries under the Programme of Training Bursaries for Workers (PROBECAT); these women will be trained by the Council on Standards and Certification of Occupational Skills (CONALEP) in three-month courses during which they will receive a minimum wage. These courses began on 19 May and will conclude in November this year.

NAME/POST/INSTITUTION	PARTS SENT	DATE OF REPLY
LIC. LAURA SALINAS BERISTAIN Coordinator of women's affairs programme, National Commission on Human Rights	Whole report
DRA. GRACIELA HIERRA Director of the PUEG Gender Programme, National Autonomous University of Mexico	Whole report
PSIC. CECILIA LORÍA SAVIÑÓN Network for a New Women's Millennium	Whole report
LIC. MANUEL JIMÉNEZ GUZMÁN President of the Legislative Assembly of the Federal District	Whole report
DIP. ANA LILIA ZEPEDA Director of Women for Democracy Group	Art. 1
LIC. FELIPE CALDERÓN HINOJOSA President of Partido Acción Nacional	Art. 4 (affirmative action)	28 April 1997
LIC. MANUEL FERNÁNDEZ FLORES President of Partido Popular Socialista	Art. 4
LIC. BALTAZAR IGNACIO VALADEZ MONTOYA President of Partido Demócrata Mexicano	Art. 4
LIC. RAFAEL IGNACIO AGUILAR TALAMANTES President of Partido Cardenista	Art. 4
DIP. HUMBERTO ROQUE VILLANUEVA President of Partido Revolucionario Institucional	Art. 4
LIC. ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR President of Partido de la Revolución Democrática	Art. 4
DIP. EDGAR SÁNCHEZ RAMÍREZ Member of the Political Committee of Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores	Art. 4
LIC. SUSANA VIDALES Coordinator of Women for Democracy Group	Art. 4
DIP. YOLANDA EUGENIA GONZÁLEZ President of Partido Revolucionario Institucional of San Luis Potosí	Art. 4

NAME/POST/INSTITUTION	PARTS SENT	DATE OF REPLY
DRA. LUZ ELENA GUTIÉRREZ DE VELASCO Coordinator of PIEM	Art. 6 (violence)
LIC. PATRICIA OLAMENDI Plural Pro Victimas group, A.C. of Federal District	Art. 6
DRA. MA. DE LA LUZ LIMA MALVIDO Vice-President of Mexican Criminology Association	Art. 6	7 May 1997
PSIC. CECILIA LORíA SAVIGÑóN Legal representative of Educación Popular con Mujeres group	Art. 10 (education) and Art. 16 (family)
PROFR. HUMBERTO DÁVILA ESQUIVEL Secretary-General of National Union of Education Workers	Art. 10 (education)
LIC. PATRICIA MERCADO CASTRO Mujeres in Acción Sindical group	Art. 11
LIC. HILDA ANDERSON NEVAREZ Secretary of women's action group of the National Committee of the Confederation of Workers of Mexico	Art. 11 (employment)
DRA. MA. DEL. CARMEN ELU CAYADO Technical Secretary of National Committee of Iniciativa Por una Maternidad sin Riesgos	Art. 12 (health)	30 April 1997
MARÍA TRINIDAD SÁNCHEZ CASTILLO Women's Health Network of the Federal District	Art. 12 (health)
DRA. LOURDES QUINTANILLA RODRÍGUEZ President of the Mexican Federation of Private Health and Community Development Associations, A.C.	Art. 12 (health)
LIC. BENITO CABELLO Director-General of ADMIC, A.C.	Art. 13 (right to credit)
LIC. PATRICIA ALONSO RAMÍREZ National coordinator of the Women's Network of the National Union of Independent Regional Rural Organizations	Art. 14 (rural women)