Empowerment and Protection - Stories of Human Security Oct. 2014 | Page 58

MEXICO

POPULATION

122.3 MILLION IN 2013 (WORLD BANK 2014)
=10.000.000

POPULATION
DISTRIBUTION BY AGE
27,9%
18,1%
40,4%
7%
6,6%

Decreasing
Violence
in Mexico
through Citizen
Participation

0-14
15-24
25-54
55-64
65+

(INDEX MUNDI 2014)

GLOBAL PEACE
INDEX 2014

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INDEX 2013

71

138
162
(IEP 2014)

187

(UNDP 2014)

Sylvia Aguilera | Nadjeli Babinet | Luis Gómez Chow | Centro de Colaboración Cívica (CCC)

The past decade has seen a wave of criminal and state violence in Mexico, broadly linked to the rise
of violent organised crime and human rights violations. Since 2006 between 47,000 and 70,000
people have been murdered and more than 25,000 people have been victims of enforced or involuntary
disappearances.1 Reflecting the government’s inability to enforce the law, the situation has galvanised a
number of citizen initiatives. High-level, multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms have influenced public policy
and legal frameworks. Local groups have reclaimed public spaces, and victims of violence have organised
social movements demanding the improvement of security and justice institutions and the recognition of
victims’ rights. These efforts have pressured the government to abandon its militarised approach towards
crime in favour of strengthening the institutions of rule of law through justice system reforms. Yet violence
persists and much remains to be done.

”..the idea was to bring together
.
the different groups and help them
generate a common agenda
to address the security crisis.”
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