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Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights
13 Dao Street, Project 3, Barangay Quirino 3-A
Quezon City, 1102, Philippines

Sr. Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna, Ambassador of Mexico in the Philippines,
Embassy of Mexico, G.C. Corporate Plaza, 2nd. Floor
150 Legaspi Street, Makati City, Philippines

January 27^th, 2011

To Ambassador Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna:

As advocates for women's human rights, community health rights, and an end to sexual and gender violence, we, the undersigned members and allies of the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) denounce the ongoing brutal killings and gendered violence directed at the women's rights advocates living in the communities of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Over the past month, we have been appalled and simultaneously enraged to hear from Mexican based members and allies of WGNRR about the two recent assassinations of human rights defenders tirelessly working to end violence against women, Susana Chávez and Marisela Escobedo Ortiz (mother of another murder victim, Rubi Marisol Frayre Escobedo). In particular, the continued pattern of impunity that has pervaded the hundreds of cases of women who have been sexually violated or murdered and mutilated is thoroughly shocking and must end if there is ever to be a sense amongst women in state of Chihuahua that they can live their lives free of fear and with dignity. Of urgent concern is the corresponding lack of political will to advance satisfactory forms of justice for the women, their families, and their communities.

Mexico is signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention Against Torture (CAT), the Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), as well as party to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Accordingly, Mexican authorities have a legally binding obligation to ensure that the women of communities within the state Chihuahua - and across the country - have their human rights recognised and respected, including those to life, to be free from gendered violence, to the highest possible standards of health, and to be compensated when violations of these rights occur. However, we are alarmed that despite signing onto regional and international human rights instruments, the Mexican administration continues to defy rulings by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as well as recommendations by various UN rapporteurs and committees that call on the state to immediately address the intense levels of sexual violence, disappearances and murders of women in Chihuahua. Civil society and local communities have yet to hear how the state intends to take these rights-based mandates into consideration at the policy, legislative or programmatic levels.

Together with Mexican members and allies of WGNRR, we urge Mexican authorities to commit the political will and financial resources needed to:

• Conduct a thorough, independent investigation regarding the deaths of Marisela Escobedo Ortiz and Susana Chávez, and take measures to bring justice to these as well as all other unresolved murders of women in the State of Chihuahua - including reparations and redress to their families

• Ensure gender-specific protective measures and support mechanisms for the mothers, families, and friends of the victims, as well as that of the informants and defenders of women’s human rights working on the cases;

• Ensure that related commissions of inquiry/truth-seeking and policy developments comply with human rights outlined in CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and ICESCR

• Promote community, state and national socio-cultural initiatives that support the dismantling and transformation of patriarchal, sexist norms amongst all generations so that this type of brutal, sexualised and gendered violence will not continue to be repeated.

We are calling on you, as the Mexican Ambassador, to ensure these concerns are forwarded to the state authorities in Mexico, including President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, Government Secretary Francisco Blake Mora and Chihuahua State Governor César Duarte Jáquez. We will remain alert to the situation through Mexican-based members and allies of the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, and will await news regarding how the Mexican state will take action to address these urgent matters. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the WGNRR campaigns officer, Tanya Roberts, by email mailto:tanya@wgnrr.org or by phone 913-6708.

Cc: Lic. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicano; Lic. José Francisco Blake Mora, Secretaría de Gobernación; Lic. César Horacio Duarte Jáquez, Gobierno de Estado de Chihuahua; Dr. Raúl Plascencia Villanueva, Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos

Endorsed by the following organisations:

obal Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)/Red Mundial de Mujeres por los Derechos Reproductivos	Amsterdam, Netherlands/ Q.C., Philippines
Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y del Caribe / Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network	Santiago, Chile
Amanitare Sexual Rights Network Africa	South Africa
Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition	Dublin, Ireland/ Q.C., Philippines
People's Health Movement-Global	Cairo, Egypt/Delhi, India/ Cape Town, South Africa
ISIS-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange	Kampala, Uganda
Isis International	Quezon City, Philippines
People's Movement for Human Rights Learning	New York, USA
Campaña por la Convención Interamericana de derechos sexuales y derechos reproductivos	Lima, Perú
Teenage Mothers' Centre	Kampala, Uganda
Mamelani Projects	Cape Town, South Africa
Centro de la Mujer Peruana "Flora Tristan"	Lima, Perú
Aube Nouvelle pour la Femme et le Développement	Bujumbura, Burundi
DEMUS- Estudio para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer	Lima, Perú
The YP Foundation	New Delhi, India
WomanHealth Philippines	Quezon City, Philippines
Centre for Women's Resources	Quezon City, Philippines
Gabriela National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Philippines	Quezon City, Philippines
Gabriela-Negros Chapter	Negros, Philippines
Space Allies	Ichikawa, Japan
Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET)	Nairobi, Kenya
Foro por los Derechos Reproductivos	Buenos Aires - Argentina
Generation Initiative For Women and Youth Network	Imo State, Nigeria
Réseau SOS Femmes en Détresse	Bujumbura, Burundi
Globe Foundation International	Accra, Ghana
Women Development Society	Kathmandu, Nepal
Initiative for Health & Equity in Society	New Delhi, India
Diverse Women for Diversity	New Delhi, India
Chanan Development Association (CDA)	Lahore, Pakistan
A Common Future	Bamenda, Cameroon
Action pour le Developpment Integral de la Femme	Democratic Republic of Congo
People for Peace and Defense of Rights	Kampala, Uganda
Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Social Action for Change Cambodia	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Khmer for Khmer (K4K)	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Vision Humanitaire Mondiale	Sud Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Tanggol Bayi-Karapatan	Quezon City, Philippines
United Nations Association	Paramaribo, Suriname
Foundation Community Center for Women-Suriname	Paramaribo, Suriname
Platform for Senior Citizens Organizations-Suriname	Paramaribo, Suriname
MDG Global Watch - focal point Suriname	Paramaribo, Suriname
Women's Network Suriname-Netherlands-USA	Paramaribo, Suriname
Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Women's Organization Network for Human Rights Advocacy	Kampala, Uganda
Fortress of Hope Africa	Nairobi, Kenya
Indonesian Women Positive Network	Jakarta, Indonesia

                                                                          
And the following individuals:

Shagufta Perveen, Dr., Dept of Community Health, Aga Khan University	Karachi, Pakistan
Nattaya Boonpakdee	Bangkok, Thailand
Anissa Helie	New York, USA
Mel Rose L. Dingal	Davao City, Philippines
Daniel de Culla	Madrid, Spain
Emma Rogan	Dublin, Ireland
Astrid Pérez Piñán	Barcelona, Spain
Yozi Lungelo	Cape Town, South Africa
Rachel Arinii	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lyda J. Canson	Davao City, Philippines
David Legge, Professor, La Trobe University	Melbourne, Australia
Fumi Suzuki, Space Allies	Ichikawa, Japan
Nini Barachina	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Sybil Nmezi, Generation Initiative For Women and Youth Network	Imo State, Nigeria
Muhammad Shahzad, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Sana Sohail, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Omair Ahmed, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Bashir Ahmed, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Nayyab Sohail, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Faizan Hassan, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Shaheen Kauser, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Haroon Sohail, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Sarfraz Yousaf, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Najam Us Sehar, CDA Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan
Catherine Conlon, Dr., School of Social Justice, University College	Dublin, Ireland
Leslie London, Professor, University of Cape Town	Cape Town, South Africa
Angela Russ	Cambridgeshire, UK
Kathy Mulville, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Marevic H. Parcon, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Rishita Nandagiri, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Benily Valerio-Dimbuyu, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Tanya Roberts, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Irina Otmakhova, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Corine Otte, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Joralyn Wenceslao, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Maria Criselda Ritual-Penaverde, WGNRR	Quezon City, Philippines
Maria van Heemstra, World Council of Churches	Versonnex, France
Anjana Luitel	Kathmandu, Nepal
Paul Laris, Paul Laris & Associates	Henley Beach, Australia
Mary Rivera, Dr.	Puerto Rico
May-i Fabros	Quezon City, Philippines
Aida Santos	Quezon City, Philippines
Ana Maria R. Nemenzo	Quezon City, Philippines
Erick Otieno Owuor, KAPLET	Nairobi, Kenya
Mary Jane N. Real, WHRD-IC	Quezon City, Philippines
Loes Keysers, ISS of Erasmus University Rotterdam	The Hague, Netherlands
Martha Rosenberg, Foro por los Derechos Reproductivos	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Purna Shova, WODES Nepal	Kathmandu, Nepal
Nondo E. Ejano, Women Promotion Centre	Kigoma, Tanzania
Gwendolyn Albert	United States of America
Steve Gourley	United States of America
Marcia A. Soumokil, Dr.	Indonesia
Yvonne Roberts	London, UK
Gabriela Valencia, Observatorio de Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos	a Paz, Bolivia
Collette O'Regan	Dublin, Ireland
Gwain Colbert Fulai	Bamenda, Cameroon
Kulihoshi Musikami	Kampala, Uganda
Thera van Osch, OQ Consulting BV	Utrecht, Netherlands
Agnes Apea Atim	Kampala, Uganda
Dale Roberts	Toronto, Canada
Jacqueline Maguire	Dublin, Ireland
Maggie Feeley, PhD, ACTRaD	Dublin, Ireland
Aoife McDonald, Access & Lifelong Learning	Dublin, Ireland
Hedwig Goede, M.D., MPH	Paramaribo, Suriname
Sinéad Dullaghan	Dublin, Ireland
Rachel Bannerman	Wau, Sudan
Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng, ISIS-WICCE	Kampala, Uganda
Sareth Dith	Cambodia
Todd Jailer, Peoples Health Movement – USA	Berkeley, USA
Leah Staples, Isis International	Quezon City, Philippines
Germana Montalvo, Colectivo Juvenil “Decide”	La Paz, Bolivia
Lynn Ogata	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Laurence Cox, Dr., Dept of Sociology, National University of Ireland	Maynooth, Ireland
Shulamith Koenig, People's Movement for Human Rights Learning	New York, USA
Paulo Bustillos , Mesa Nacional de Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos	La Paz, Bolivia
María Ysabel Cedano García	Lima, Perú
Misbah Shahzad, Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Sumaira Shahzad, Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Shaista Shahzad, Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Nazma Shahzad, Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Gulalai Ismail, Aware Girls	Peshawar, Pakistan
Felistah Mbithe, Fortress of Hope Africa	Nairobi, Kenya
Oldri Shearli Mukuan, Indonesian Women Positive Network	Jakarta, Indonesia

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