Hundreds of women in Mexico celebrated International Women’s Day on Monday by assembling in the nation’s capital’s main square and yelling “Femicide Mexico!” in unison, condemning the country’s chronic violence against women.
In recent years, gender violence has become a big concern in Mexico. With up to 11 women slain every day on average across the country, women’s lives are becoming increasingly precarious.
“Today is a difficult day since a girl or woman gets raped every two minutes. Because 11 women are slain every day on average in Mexico, and not all of them are identified as femicides by the legal system, “One of the ladies participating in the demonstration, Alejandra Sánchez Rosales, said:
In Mexico, violence against women is becoming more common. The overall number of femicides reported in the country in 2015 was 411, a significant decrease from the 967 reported in 2020.
Only 2% of the overall budget for 2021 is dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s rights, indicating the government’s inadequate efforts to halt this trend.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s approach has depended heavily on the military, which is concerning given previous studies that indicate the military’s impunity and degree of violence.
According to a 2018 research, 18 percent of the 154 women seized by the military as crime suspects suffered some type of sexual abuse, while 42 percent of the 54 women apprehended by the navy reported sexual assaults by navy personnel.
Valeria Castellon Gomez, another protester, said the government does not take a stand or propose a solution to the problem, but rather avoids it.
“In Mexico, 11 women are slain every day. Despite this, the president has no conscience in changing the situation,” she remarked.
The National Palace was ringed by metal fence on March 5 to protect it ahead of the feminist march. Hundreds of names were written on the metal wall in honor of women and girls who had been murdered by feminist organisations and mothers of victims of femicide.
“I feel we have a tremendous battle ahead of us. Many people die, and the government does little to stop it. This is what motivates us to fight every day. We shouldn’t even have to ask for it, in my opinion. Because this is not the only area where this type of brutality exists, other countries have joined the cause,” Julieta Vargas Rodriguez said.