Impunity fuels violence against women: Human Rights Commission

Violence against women occurs systematically and exists in high numbers largely due to impunity, warned Norma Inés Aguilar León, fourth inspector-general for Mexico's Human Rights Commission (CNDH).

During the Discussion for Solutions to Violence against Women, Aguilar León said there are still many challenges that must be faced before truly eradicating violence against women in Mexico.

“Violence against women is a massive problem in our society and immediate action must be taken, especially at the state level, but we must keep in mind that there's so much our society can also do to eradicate this violence,” she said during the meeting.

Carlos Javier Echarro, a professor at the Colegio de México (The Mexico College), said that the Mexican government has efficient and effective legislation and tools to fight this type of violence, but it needs to have reliable and hard data to have a clear understanding of the nature and scope of violence against women in the country.

Mónica González Contró, a Lawyer at the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), said that as of August of this year, the school officials have implemented a university-wide protocol for providing victims of gender-based violence with help, as well as for working towards gender equality and tackling the root of this type of violence.

This year, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cepal) revealed that on average, 12 women are victims of female homicides per day in the region, with 7 of these murders occurring in Mexico alone.