UN rights chief urges action to end impunity and tackle disappearances in Mexico
At the end of an official visit to Mexico, the High Commissioner warned that violence remains a serious problem, with women’s rights defenders and reporters facing increased risks, especially when confronted with organized crime, corruption or gender-based violence.
Organized crime, fueled by drug trafficking and the influx of weapons, continues to have a major impact on public security and the enjoyment of human rights, he said, calling for the strengthening of civilian institutions and accountability mechanisms.
A protest meeting in Mexico City over the Ayoitzinapa rural school case, attended by the 43 disappeared students.
“An end to impunity, justice for crimes committed and effective accountability processes are essential” he stated, adding that impunity had emerged as a consistent demand in his meetings with victims and civil society groups.
Disappearances remain “one of the most serious and painful human rights challenges” in the country, he continued, praising the courage of families and collectives, many led by women, who search for their loved ones, often at great personal risk.
He called for stronger search mechanisms, forensic identification, protection measures and investigative efforts, highlighting the potential of Mexico’s legal framework and the recent adoption of an updated national search protocol.
The UN rights chief expressed concern over continued high levels of gender-based violence and femicides, noting that the number of women murdered in the country “shocks our conscience.”
Praise for Mexico’s ‘vibrant civil society’
During his trip, Mr. Türk met with senior officials from all branches of government, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, members of the Cabinet, lawmakers and the President of the Supreme Court, as well as representatives of civil society, the private sector and victims’ groups.
The visit, he said, had allowed him to see both “major achievements and profound challenges.” in the field of human rights. “Mexico has a diverse, active and vibrant civil society,” the High Commissioner said, underscoring the country’s central role in public debate, institutional reforms and demanding accountability.
Mr. Türk described Mexico’s Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (a federal government program established in 2012) as a model for the region, but stressed that timely access, preventive measures and stronger investigative capacity are crucial to improving its effectiveness.
In his address to the reform of the judiciary in Mexico, the High Commissioner emphasized the importance of ensuring the independence, integrity and professional competence of the judiciary during the transition, and welcomed efforts to improve justice and transparency.
Mr. Türk also welcomed constitutional reforms recognizing indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples as subjects of public law, as well as progress in gender equality, poverty reduction and social protection, and praised Mexico’s role as a committed regional and global actor in the United Nations and the international human rights system.
