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### Viewing cable 10MEXICO640, S/GWI Project Proposal

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
10MEXICO640 | 2010-02-22 16:04 | 2011-01-28 21:09 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Mexico

`

    VZCZCXRO0275
    RR RUEHRS
    DE RUEHME #0640/01 0531639
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 221637Z FEB 10
    FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0556
    INFO ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 17 MEXICO 000640

    SIPDIS
    PASS TO S/GWI

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PREL PHUM KWMN MX
    SUBJECT: S/GWI Project Proposal

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In response to the Secretary's Office of Global
    Women's Issues Small Grants initiative, Embassy Mexico City submits
    the following four applications. They are in order of Post's
    preference. First, find Semillas' proposal to advocate for
    legislation that better protects victims of gender violence in
    Guanajuato and Chiapas. Second, find the Consortium for
    Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality's proposal to increase the
    political participation of women. Third, find the Women's Center
    for Humans Rights proposal to increase access to justice for women
    in Chihuahua. Finally, find I(dh)eas' project to promote awareness
    on a recent Inter-American Court decision. All of these proposals
    advance MSP goals including the promotion of greater respect for
    human rights and comprehensive justice reform. With their focus on
    the challenges that face women in Mexico, particularly in
    connection to the justice system, all of these projects would
    contribute to these goals. Post's POL and AID offices will manage
    the grant.

    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    -----------------------
    Proposal 1: Semillas- Reduction of Gender Violence in Mexico
    Project
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    ------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) Post Summary: Semillas will work to support the
    implementation of needed laws to reduce violence against women in
    the states of Guanajuato and Chiapas by working with local NGO
    partners and other experts to develop strategic plans, organize
    trainings on advocacy for local NGO partners, and carry out public
    relations campaigns.
    Post Comment: Semilla is a highly respected and well known national
    organization. Its project is specifically focused at the state
    level where they can make a great impact.

    PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED

    ¶3. (U) A Special Commission established in 2006 by the Mexican
    Parliament to investigate the phenomena of femicides concluded that
    the government, at every level, has the obligation to guarantee the
    right of women to a life free of violence, and ensure timely and
    expeditious access to justice in the case of abuses. The government
    has since advanced in certain areas at the legislative level
    actions such as the approval of the General Law on the Access of
    Women to a Life without Violence in 2007, and the inclusion of the
    crime of femicide in the Federal Penal Code. The General Law
    establishes the coordination between the national government and
    the 32 states in order to prevent, punish, and eradicate violence
    against women as well as the ways to guarantee women's access to a
    life without violence, ensuring their development as well as their
    welfare with equality and non-discrimination. It further includes
    the necessary local laws and budgetary and administrative
    provisions. Even so, violence against women is persistent in
    Mexico. Every six hours a girl or woman is murdered in Mexico. From
    1999 to 2005, there were 1,288 murders in the state of Mexico,
    1,494 in Veracruz, 1,242 in Chiapas, 863 in Guerrero, and 743 in
    the Federal District (i.e. Mexico City). While the victims come
    from different socio-economic strata, the majority are poor or
    marginalized with low levels of formal education.

    ¶4. (U) A more integrated approach to reducing gender violence is
    needed in which all the branches and levels of government are
    involved within the framework of a national policy. Approving laws
    is not enough. It is only through harmonization of local and
    federal laws that the state can address the basic concepts and
    fundamentals guaranteeing the minimum required for female victims
    of violence to obtain access to justice. In this process, civil
    society organizations have the potential to play a fundamental role
    by improving training, raising awareness, and advocating for
    holistic reforms.

    ¶5. (U) Guanajuato remains the only state in Mexico that does not
    have a law guaranteeing attention to women who have been victims of
    violence. In fact, it revoked the national domestic violence law
    and approved a General Violence State Law that symbolizes a step
    back for women. The level of impunity in Guanajuato is very high,
    regardless of the tireless efforts and work undertaken by civil
    society organizations. Even with advances in attention to victims,

    MEXICO 00000640 002 OF 017

    there is still a tendency to deny victims access to justice and
    despite a strong movement of feminist and women's organizations,
    there is strong resistance on the part of the state government to
    accept and address these problems.

    ¶6. (U) Chiapas adopted the General Law on the Access of Women to a
    Life without Violence in August 2007. More than two years later,
    there are still no regulations nor operating protocols for this
    law. The abrogation of the law and adoption of a new one in March
    2009 did not grant governmental bodies, like the Women's Institute
    of Chiapas, the power to monitor, prevent, provide attention, and
    eradicate gender violence and femicide.

    PROPOSED PROGRAM

    ¶7. (U) Semillas???? program of Reconciliation of the Law and Access
    to
    Justice seeks to contribute to diminishing gender violence in the
    states of Chiapas and Guanajuato through the promotion of
    initiatives addressing access to justice in three lines of action:
    1) implementing a process of reconciliation that effectively
    harmonizes state laws, norms, codes, and regulations with the
    General Law; 2) raising the level of awareness of and training to
    authorities and public officials in charge of providing women in
    violent situations with proper attention, and 3) promoting a
    general understanding of the contents of the General Law and
    applicable state laws to the public.

    ¶8. (U) Semillas has supported nine organizations with small grants
    to do this work, two of which are from Guanajuato (Las Libres and
    Vitoria Diez Human Rights) and one from Chiapas (Grupo de Mujeres
    de San Crist????bal de las Casas, or COLEM ). The present grant would
    give Semillas the opportunity to support these organizations to
    make a bigger impact in states that badly need reform.

    PROJECT DESCRIPTION: ACTIVITIES, DESIRED OUTCOMES, AND PERFORMANCE
    MEASURES

    ¶9. (U) This 18-month project is part of Semillas' Fund for Gender
    Violence which aims to support seven to eight organizations,
    working in different states, to more strategically and effectively
    reduce gender violence in Mexico, specifically in Guanajuato and
    Chiapas, through the promotion of initiatives directed at the
    harmonization and implementation of the General Law on the Access
    of Women to a Life without Violence. Below is a description of the
    project objectives and their associated activities, outcomes, and
    performance measures.

    ¶10. (U) A. Develop three strategies to strengthen the work of three
    organizations from Guanajuato and Chiapas.
    Activities

    -Two local meetings, one per state. The aim of these meetings is to
    create a space where organizations can analyze and debate the
    context around the implementation of the General Law with experts
    in the field and will help organizations develop their own local
    strategies.

    -Provision of grants to local organizations working on the issue of
    gender violence in Guanajuato and Chiapas. Funding is a vital
    component in enabling groups to undertake this work. It is
    envisaged that three groups will be supported, each with a grant of
    US$22,500, given in three payments of US$7,500 each.

    ¶11. (U) Desired outcomes

    - Each organization will have its own medium-term strategies (3
    years).

    - Three organizations will receive grants.

    -The organizations will develop a context analysis regarding the
    obstacles in implementing the General Law, in order to then develop
    strategies of action.

    -The organizations will set their own yearly performance measures
    of their strategies, with visible results for the first year.

    MEXICO 00000640 003 OF 017

    -Specialists in the harmonization and implementation of the General
    Law will be linked with the organizations, assisting them in
    debating and analyzing the context and developing each
    organization's strategy.

    ¶12. (U) Performance Measures

    -Two context analyses, one per state.

    -Three strategies, one per organization.

    -Three grants awarded to three organizations.

    -Yearly performance measures per organization.

    -Two specialists linked with the three organizations.

    ¶13. (U) B. Strengthen the sub-grantee organizations' capabilities
    in advocating before governmental authorities of the aforesaid
    states (at all three branches of the government- executive,
    legislative and judicial- and local congresses, programs, and
    public policies).

    ¶14. (U) Activities

    -Specific capacity-building support for local organizations to
    enable them to work more effectively with the public sector.
    Support will be provided to strengthen local organizations'
    abilities in specific areas that are fundamental to the success of
    the project, such as: advocacy and negotiation; strengthening of
    networks and joint actions; management of legal processes with
    authorities; and awareness raising and communications. Training
    will be provided via: (a) workshops on specific themes; (b) sharing
    of experiences and learning between organizations; and (c)
    individual technical assistance from national and international
    experts (for selected organizations). The organizations will define
    their necessities and priorities.

    -Accompaniment, monitoring, linking, and learning. Through a
    process of accompaniment and monitoring, Semillas will work to
    detect new needs and seek points of synergy between the
    organizations participating in the project. This will contribute to
    the transparent management of the project, promote learning, and
    facilitate reporting to donors and other stakeholders.

    ¶15. (U) Desired outcomes

    -Women fellows from the sub-grantees organizations will develop
    their leadership skills and increase their knowledge and capacity,
    including negotiation, advocacy, and networking skills.

    -Local groups will improve their technical and strategic capacity,
    including their capacity to dialogue and negotiate with a wide
    range of stakeholders, including local and state government and
    legislators.

    ¶16. (U) Performance Measures

    -One member of each organization members of each organization
    trained in relevant legal issues.

    -Three technical assistance workshops, one per organization.

    -At least one workshop on a relevant issue during the meeting to
    share experiences.

    ¶17. (U) C. Raise public awareness regarding the organizations'
    proposals to implement the General Law in order to increase
    pressure on the public sector.

    ¶18. (U) Activities

    -Local events to promote public awareness including fairs, or
    marches.

    MEXICO 00000640 004 OF 017

    -Presence in the mass media (print, radio, and local television).

    -Creation of visibility materials such as flyers, manuals,
    postcards, etc.

    -Creation of a video by Semillas covering the process of the
    project.

    ¶19. (U) Desired outcomes

    -There will be an increase in public awareness of harmonization and
    implementation processes.

    -These organizations will have a greater presence in the mass media
    (print, radio, and local television).

    -Actors form different sectors will be involved in the process.

    -Creation of visibility materials.

    -Creation of a video covering the process of the project.

    ¶20. (U) Performance Measures

    -400 people will get to know the discussion of the results of and
    obstacles in the process.

    -At least three mentions in the mass media (print, radio, and local
    television).

    -Three local actors from different sectors will be involved in the
    process.

    -Three visibility materials, such as flyers, manuals, postcards,
    etc.

    -One video covering the process of the project.

    BUDGET (In Separate Email)

    RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION

    ¶21. (U) Sociedad Mexicana Pro Derechos de la Mujer (Semillas) is
    the only Mexican fund for women. Semillas' mission is to empower
    marginal and marginalized women and girls through resource
    mobilization and supporting women's organizations whose
    self-initiated projects are focused on women's and girls' human
    rights. It carries out its mission through grantmaking that is
    directed to women's NGOs and grassroots groups, and fundraising
    that is directed not only at international grantmaking foundations,
    but also at Mexican donors, both individuals and corporations,
    whose contributions are an investment in social change benefiting
    women and girls. These activities contribute to a consciousness
    about social change, and recognize both donors and grantees as
    investors in the movement.

    ¶22. (U) Semillas was founded in 1990, originally conceived simply
    as a bridge to channel funds from international sources to women's
    organizations and grassroots groups in Mexico that were struggling
    to emerge. As the years progressed, it became increasingly
    apparent that these groups sought much more from Semillas than
    simply financing. Led by the principle of listening to the ideas
    and needs of the grantees and beneficiaries, Semillas gradually
    developed into an institution that could address the needs of the
    women's movement in Mexico.

    ¶23. (U) Today, Semillas is comprised of a Board of Directors and a
    professional staff led by an Executive Director. Semillas operates
    primarily through its Grantmaking and Fundraising Departments. The
    first has as its primary function the strengthening of women's
    organizations through the provision of small grants and technical
    assistance - which includes activities such as mentoring,
    institutional support, training on results measurement, peer
    alliance building, development of networks, etc. The Fundraising
    Department aims to raise financial and in-kind resources at the
    international and national level.

    MEXICO 00000640 005 OF 017

    ¶24. (U) Semillas focuses on three main themes with their respective
    programs:

    -Women and Work: Economic Autonomy and Sustainable Development;
    Labor Rights; Right to Land; and Community Development with a
    Gender Perspective.

    -Sexual and Reproductive Rights: Maternal Mortality; Sexual
    Education for Young People; Right to Decide; and Sexual Diversity.

    -Gender Violence: Prevention and Attention to Gender Violence; and
    Reconciliation of the Law and Access to Justice.

    ¶25. (U) Semillas has been working for the eradication of gender
    violence in Mexico for over 10 years. Its focus has been on
    promoting and defending women's human rights, in particular the
    right to a life free of violence and access to expeditious and
    adequate justice. During this time, Semillas has supported
    different women's organizations throughout the country in
    violence-prevention projects and the provision of legal advice to
    female victims, at the domestic level as well as more generally,
    including in workplaces and public spaces.

    Semillas in numbers:

    1990-2008

    2009

    Leadership grants awarded

    52

    19

    Organizations supported

    224

    43

    Projects funded

    379

    109

    Adult and young women who have directly

    benefited from grants

    410,264

    41,406

    Adult and young women and girls who have indirectly benefited from
    grants

    1,230,792

    243,769

    Total amount in grant dollars awarded by Semillas

    US$4,908,373

    US$1,325,527

    ¶26. (U) Semillas has received funding from: ADO Foundation,
    American Express Foundation, Avon Foundation, Ford Foundation,
    General Service Foundation, Global Fund for Women, HIVOS, W. K.
    Kellogg Foundation, Levi Strauss Foundation, MacArthur Foundation,
    Mama Cash, Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation (MDG3 Fund),

    MEXICO 00000640 006 OF 017

    Natura, Oak Foundation, Open Society Institute, Park Perales, IFA
    (Pharmaceutical Research), Sigrid Rausing Trust, and UNIFEM, among
    others.

    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    ---------------------
    Proposal 2: Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality-
    Increasing Women's Political Representation in Mexico
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    ----------------------
    ¶27. (SBU) Post Summary: The Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue
    and Equality proposes increasing women's political participation by
    creating strategies to close legal loopholes, providing trainings
    to build consensus and advocacy capabilities, and improving
    relationships between activists and politicians through workshops
    and dialogue.
    Post Comment: The Consortium has a strong relationship with our
    local NDI partner and their project addresses a timely need. Its
    proposal seeks to build stronger relationships between civil
    society and government, something Mexico needs to progress in on a
    priority basis in order to meet a wide array of challenges. The
    proposal is focused, includes training and promotional material,
    and would contribute greatly to an overall debate on female
    participation in politics.

    Problem statement

    ¶28. (U) The latest elections in 2009 in Mexico showed that the
    political participation of women is significantly lower than the
    figure mandated by national law. In 2002, the Federal Electoral
    Code (COFIPE) was reformed with the purpose of establishing
    mandatory gender quotas. The law, which took effect just prior to
    the 2003 elections, stipulated that party candidate lists must not
    be created with more than 70% of candidates of the same gender. As
    a result, the presence of women in the legislative branch increased
    from 16 to 28 percent, a highly important achievement. This reform
    was further modified in 2008, as a result of lengthy debate on
    election reforms in Congress, increasing the gender quota by
    stipulating that neither gender could be represented by more than
    60%. However, the initial percentage of women in the current
    legislature (2009-2012) in the Chamber of Representatives was
    27.6%, which later decreased to 25%, after the resignation of 11
    female representatives.

    ¶29. (U) Despite the fact that there has been an increase in the
    percentage of female representatives, this percentage remains
    significantly lower than the legally stipulated number. Legal flaws
    in both reforms allow political parties to legally manipulate their
    female representative quotas. Furthermore, political parties have
    systematically employed fraudulent practices to thwart the
    enforcement of this law. The most illustrative case is the recent
    resignation of eleven elected female deputies who ceded their
    legislative seats to official male substitutes. This plan was
    designed before the elections and was finally fulfilled on February
    2, 2010, when the male substitutes took office in the Federal
    Chamber of Representatives. These actions were publicly denounced
    by Consorcio, many other civic organizations, and women from the
    political parties themselves.

    ¶30. (U) Based on such examples, Consorcio submits the following
    proposal which has the aim of promoting a process to identify the
    legal loopholes and promote reforms to close them. Consorcio would
    also encourage the political parties to make a renewed commitment
    to the incorporation of female candidates, the adoption of
    practices to guarantee female political participation, and increase
    in resources and training for women party members and activists.

    ¶31. (U) Late last year, President Felipe Caderon proposed a new
    political reform package that does not address women's political
    participation. Therefore, Consorcio feels strongly it must join
    this national debate and provide expertise.

    MEXICO 00000640 007 OF 017

    Summary of the Proposed Program

    ¶32. (U) Consorcio para el Di????logo Parlamentario y la Equidad A.C.
    (Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality) to promote
    legal reforms acknowledging and guaranteeing the political rights
    of women by means of building legal frameworks that promote the
    arrival and permanence of women in elected positions. In order to
    promote and strengthen dialogue and debate on the political
    participation of women, this project would include the
    participation of civil society organizations, Congresswomen, and
    political party members.

    ¶33. (U) As part of this project, Consorcio would strengthen
    relationships and monitoring capabilities and evaluate political
    parties and electoral institutions on behalf of women's civil
    organizations. Consorcio would monitor activities in the National
    Congress with regard to women's political participation and
    generate clear and comprehensive information on advocacy strategies
    to deepen the political participation of women.

    ¶34. (U) Project Objectives

    -Promote an inclusive dialogue about the political rights of women
    by convening a group of women and men with expertise in the area of
    women's political participation.

    -Strengthen alliances amongst civil society organizations and
    representatives from the various political parties in order to
    foster the promotion and defense of the political rights of women.

    -Provide timely information to civil organizations about
    legislative debates and actions involving female political
    participation to strengthen legislative advocacy efforts to promote
    the political rights of women.

    ¶35. (U) Project Activities

    ¶A. Diagnosis of the electoral laws.

    This project will focus on creating a diagnosis of electoral laws
    in order to create proposals to rectify the flaws and gaps that
    limit women's political participation. In order to achieve this:

    -Consorcio will collect and systematize the contents of both
    electoral reforms on gender quotas and identify the extent to which
    they have, or have not, reached their proposed goals. Consorcio
    will also include the interpretations of the judicial branch with
    regards to gender quotas.

    -Consorcio will create an electoral law analysis group that will
    meet at least once each quarter and which will maintain a line of
    permanent communication and debate using remote communication
    technology.

    -Consorcio will hold two sessions with international experts to
    develop reforms proposals. In addition, Consorcio will cultivate
    relationships with allied parliament members who have the legal
    capacity to present these proposals in Congress.

    ¶36. (U) B. Building alliances with political parties and civil
    society

    Consorcio will hold a debate forum on recent political reforms in
    Sonora, which became the first state in the country to include
    gender parity in its laws. Civil and academic organizations will
    participate in this forum, as well as representatives of state and
    federal government agencies.

    ¶37. (U) Consorcio will organize at least two debate panels, as well
    as a series of bilateral discussion and analysis meetings, with
    women from political parties. It will maintain a permanent presence
    in the National Congress. Additionally, Consorcio will hold monthly
    meetings with civil organizations invited to participate in this
    process.

    ¶38. (U) Training

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    In order to effectively lobby female and male legislators,
    Consorcio will simultaneously work to strengthen the advocacy
    capabilities of women's organizations, focusing on local
    organizations in three states (Sonora, Jalisco and Yucatan).
    Consorcio will hold at least one session with organizations of each
    of those states. Consorcio will also carry out similar trainings
    aimed at women leaders of the main political parties, PAN, PRI, and
    PRD.

    ¶39. (U) Legislative monitoring and promotion

    Consorcio will monitor the ordinary and extraordinary sessions of
    the Congress, identifying subjects and actions linked to the
    political rights of women. Based on this analysis, Consorcio will
    distribute information on strategic advocacy in Congress to at
    least eight women's organizations from three states and Mexico
    City. Consorcio will include a specific section in its website with
    relevant information about the national political reform and the
    political representation of women.

    ¶40. (U) Consorcio will edit and promote a publication that will
    focus on the progress and the challenges women face in gaining
    political representation in Mexico. This publication will be
    distributed amongst all members of the legislative branch and civil
    organizations.

    ¶41. (U) Finally, Consorcio will organize a public presentation of
    the proposal created by the group to promote its subjects and
    scopes.

    Evaluation Plan

    ¶42. (U) Objective 1

    Promote an inclusive dialogue about the political rights of women
    by convening a group of women and men with expertise in the area of
    women's political participation.

    Result 1.1 A legislative reform proposal to strengthen the
    political participation of women agreed upon by civil society
    organizations and representatives of political parties.

    ¶44. (U) Objective 2

    Strengthen alliances amongst civil society organizations and
    representatives from the various political parties in order to
    foster the promotion and defense of the political rights of women.

    Result 2.1 Civil society organizations will have relevant and
    specific information about the current status of the political
    rights of women.

    Result 2.2 Civil society organizations will be better prepared to
    defend and promote the political rights of women.

    Result 2.3 Women who are members of political parties will
    strengthen their links with civil society and vice versa so as to
    mutually defend of the political participation of women.

    ¶45. (U) Objective 3

    Provide timely information to civil organizations about legislative
    debates and actions involving female political participation to
    strengthen legislative advocacy efforts to promote the political
    rights of women.

    Result 3.1 Electronic bulletins to promote information on the
    subject.

    Result 3.2 A specific section with quality information in the
    Consorcio webpage.

    Result 3.3 The editing and distribution of a specific publication
    on the subject.

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    Result 3.4 A public presentation of the reform proposal produced by
    the plural group of civil organizations and women and men from
    various political parties.

    Organization Background

    ¶46. (U) Founded in 1988, Consorcio para el Di????logo Parlamentario y
    la Equidad is a feminist, non sectarian, non profit, non political
    organization seeking to contribute to the full citizenship of
    women, gender equality and the creation of a democratic and just
    society and rule of law.

    ¶47. (U) Since that date, Consorcio has carried out political
    advocacy campaigns to include a gender equality and non
    discrimination perspective within the Mexican legal framework and
    promote fiscal accountability in the parliament environment.
    Consorcio's activities are always aimed at promoting the
    coordination and creation of national, regional and international
    alliances mainly related with the political, social, sexual and
    reproductive rights of women.

    ¶48. (U) Consorcio has permanently monitored and assessed the
    participation of women in the legislative environment. In
    2000-2009, Consorcio promoted the presence of nearly 20 women's
    organizations to produce bill drafts of bills which promote the
    affirmative in terms of number of representatives.

    BUDGET (In Separate Email)

    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
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    Proposal 3: Women's Center for Humans Rights- Access to Justice for
    Women in Chihuahua
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶49. (SBU) Post Summary: As part of its Access to Justice for Women
    in the New Accusatory System, the Women's Center for Human Rights
    will: study and document cases of violence against women, develop
    promotional educational material on women's rights, provide free
    legal representation for female victims of violence, organize
    trainings on women's rights, and advocate for legislative changes
    to benefit women.
    Post Comment: CEDEHM's would advance Mission goals and would
    undoubtedly make a substantial contribution to improving the plight
    of many women at the local level.

    PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED

    ¶50. (U) In Chihuahua, Mexico, high rates of violence against women
    have been recorded. Such violence includes sexual harassment by
    federal agents, rape, domestic violence, and murder. The violence
    associated with criminal groups and the military occupation of the
    state since 2007 to combat these criminal groups, has had terrible
    consequences for women. Impunity for cases of violence against
    women is common when perpetrated by the victims' partners, criminal
    groups, or police officers and soldiers. A large number of cases
    remain unpunished, thereby permitting such acts to continue.

    ¶51. (U) Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez, both in the state of
    Chihuahua, are internationally infamous for the phenomenon of
    women's murders that remain unsolved. Approximately 35% of the
    10,000 violent deaths that occurred in Mexico in 2008 and 2009
    occurred in the border state of Chihuahua.. In both years, the
    Mexican government tried to control the wave of violence by sending
    police and military forces to the state. Currently, more than
    10,000 soldiers and federal police patrol the state. Today, it is
    ever more risky to live in Chihuahua due to the high rates of
    murders and violence, but especially so for women and girls.
    According to the Chihuahua State Attorney's Office, "One hundred
    eighty-four women were murdered in 2009, a record, [and] three
    times higher than the most critical years of femicide (murders of
    women) in Juarez."

    ¶52. (U) The State Human Rights Commission of Chihuahua (Commission)
    received three complaints of human rights violations against the

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    army in 2007. A year later, the Commission received 162 complaints.
    In the first 10 months of 2009, the Commission received 149
    complaints; some of these were allegations of torture, forced
    disappearances, and extrajudicial executions. Most of these
    complaints were filed by women.

    SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM

    ¶53. (U) The objective of this project is to promote: awareness of
    the rights of female victims of violence; laws to protect women;
    more effective responses on the part of the authorities to the
    needs of victims; and better access to justice within the new
    judicial system Chihuahua adopted in 2007.

    ¶54. (U) Chihuahua was the first state to introduce the new criminal
    justice system prior to the 2008 constitutional reform. This new
    system is based on respect for human rights, presumption of
    innocence, and oral and public trials. CEDEEHM is convinced that
    laws are an important tool to protect women's human rights and
    promote legal equality. This is an opportunity for CEDEHM to
    abolish discriminatory provisions and advocate for the amendment of
    those laws which are seemingly neutral but in fact prejudice
    vulnerable groups such as women. CEDEHM monitors the functioning of
    the new system and believes that additional changes we should be
    made. These legal reforms will benefit not only the women of
    Chihuahua, but also women in other states, since the legislation of
    this state is likely to be replicated in the others, as Chihuahua
    is viewed as a pioneer of the new system.

    ¶55. (U) Also, Chihuahua reported a record number of femicides in
    ¶2009. Women have become more vulnerable since the onset of the
    armed conflict between the security forces, military, and criminal
    groups. It is of critical importance, now more than ever, that
    women who are victims of violence have access to justice, obtain a
    satisfactory solution, and as a result, further violence against
    them is prevented. Many women report domestic violence against them
    but obtain no response from authorities. Therefore, one of the
    activities of this project is to provide training, counsel, and
    free legal representation for female victims of violence. This will
    improve access to justice in individual cases for which legal
    representation is provided and permit CEDEHM to document legal and
    institutional barriers faced by women.

    ¶56. (U) Another problem is the "low use of the system of justice by
    women victims of violence." The Inter-American Commission on Human
    Rights (IACHR) recognized "the mistreatment that both the victims
    and their families can receive while trying to access justice, as
    well as their mistrust of the courts." Therefore, one of the
    activities of this project is to develop educational materials for
    and provide training to women so that they can know their rights
    and ways to exercise them, as well as the legal options available
    to them for filing complaints and accessing justice. CEDEHM will
    also conduct a targeted qualitative study with female victims of
    violence, utilizing interviews and focus groups, in order to learn
    from violence survivors what they view as being the incentives and
    barriers for women to denounce and pursue a prosecution. CEDEHM
    will disseminate the results of these findings to the authorities,
    international agencies, and the women themselves in order to
    diminish these obstacles.

    ¶57. (U) Finally, while CEDEHM recognizes that legislation is
    extremely important for ensuring the respect for women's human
    rights, we also know it is not enough. The Inter-American Court of
    Human Rights and has repeatedly stated that the investigation of
    human rights violations, including cases of violence against women,
    must be conducted by competent and impartial authorities.
    Therefore, we will train two groups of state officers in order to
    raise awareness about the services and help that should be
    available to women who are victims of violence. The first group
    trained will be police officers, as they are the ones who often
    respond to calls for help from victims of violence. The second
    group trained will be prosecutors and members of the justice
    system, as they often receive complaints of violence against women
    and investigate these cases.

    ¶57. (U) The general objective of the present project is to improve
    the access to justice for female victims of violence. Our project
    will be focused on five specific objectives: (1) Document and
    disseminate the barriers that female victims of violence face in
    their access to justice; (2)develop and disseminate information and
    materials to ensure that women know their rights, including how to
    exercise them and what agencies and services are available to them;
    (3) provide free legal representation for women victims of violence
    and document the legal and institutional barriers they face; (4)
    undertake advocacy in the Chihuahua Congress, pressing for
    legislative changes that will benefit women; and (5) train staff
    who care for female victims of violence in the provision of better
    services.

    MEXICO 00000640 011 OF 017

    PROJECT ACTIVITIES, DESIRED OUTCOMES, AND PERFORMANCES MEASURES

    ¶58. (U) CEDEHM will document and disseminate the barriers that
    female victims of violence face in their access to justice.

    CEDEHM will conduct a qualitative study with women and girls who
    have been victims of domestic and sexual violence, using two
    techniques: in-depth interviews and focus groups. This study will
    obtain the testimonies of least 50 women and girls who are
    survivors of family violence or sexual abuse. (Since it is a
    qualitative study, it does not require a statistically significant
    sample.) The aim of the study is to determine what motivates some
    women who are victims of violence to go to the authorities to lodge
    a complaint, while others have felt scared or intimidated to report
    or file complains. The study will also provide important
    information about the obstacles that women face after they report
    the facts, and why they decide to continue or not with a legal
    process. The study will also reveal the extent of women's
    satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the results provided by the
    new criminal justice system.

    ¶59. (U) CEDEHM will publish two reports based on the research
    results. The first report will discuss the obstacles that women
    face in accessing justice in Chihuahua, based on the testimony of
    women themselves. The second report, will make recommendations for
    governmental institutions to improve their provision of services to
    victims by addressing their needs and reducing the barriers faced
    by women. It will present the findings and recommendations of this
    two-part report in two universities, at a press conference, and at
    a public forum for state and local authorities to which the
    following agencies that serve victims of violence will be invited:
    the state Attorney General, Municipal Police, local Members of
    Congress, and the Chihuahua Institute for Women. In addition,
    CEDEHM will write and publish report based on the research results,
    including success stories of women survivors of violence. The
    stories will be selected and printed to be used as material for
    female victims of violence so that they can be inspired by stories
    of other female victims' healing. The report will also be uploaded
    onto the CEDEHM website.

    ¶60. (U) CEDEHM will organize and carry out an international seminar
    on "Gender, Justice, and Human Rights" to exchange experiences
    about access to justice between local, national, and international
    organizations and experts. The event will be held in Chihuahua City
    and those invited will include authorities in all three branches of
    government, educational institutions, organizations, members of the
    press, and community leaders.

    ¶61. (U) Finally, CEDEHM will request a thematic hearing before the
    IACHR in Washington to explain the dire situation of violence
    against women in Chihuahua State and the obstacles they face in
    accessing justice.

    ¶62. (U) The goal of this project is to reduce barriers that women
    face in accessing justice. The unit of measure is the adoption of
    any institutional changes, based on the recommendations of the
    qualitative study and legal documentation of cases to the
    authorities. The adoption of institutional change should be aimed
    at reducing institutional obstacles that are identified in the
    study, so that women can lodge complaints and have greater access
    to the justice system. In addition, our unit of measure will be the
    granting of a hearing by the IACHR regarding violence and women and
    access to justice in Chihuahua, and a public statement from the
    Commission on these facts.

    ¶63. (U) CEDEHM will develop and disseminate information and
    materials to ensure that women know their rights.

    CEDEHM will develop a five-minute video to explain what domestic
    violence is, how it occurs, what risks exist, who can help in a
    situation of violence, which rights women have, what legal
    alternatives they have, and how women can heal. The video will be
    uploaded onto our webpage and YouTube, and will be prepared by
    lawyers, psychologists, and a communication expert. The target
    audience is women who are victims of violence. The video will be
    used in the weekly workshops CEDEHM provides to teach victims of
    violence their rights and how to exercise them.

    ¶64. (U) CEDEHM will additionally develop a brochure with key
    information written in basic, easy-to-understand language,
    discussing what domestic violence is, how it occurs, what risks
    exist, who can help in a situation of violence, women's rights,
    legal alternatives that exist, and how women can heal. It will also

    MEXICO 00000640 012 OF 017

    include a directory of institutions that provide emergency care for
    women who are victims of violence in Chihuahua City. A minimum of
    one thousand copies will be printed in Spanish for women who seek
    help from CEDEHM.

    ¶65. (U) Furthermore, CEDEHM will develop an animated five-minute
    video and brochure with information on measures to take after being
    raped, as well as the medical and legal alternatives that exist for
    reporting such abuse and having access to safe and legal abortions.
    The video will be uploaded onto YouTube and the CEDEHM website. The
    video information and text will be drafted by lawyers,
    psychologists, and a doctor who is an expert on sexual violence.
    The target population for both the video and brochure will be women
    who have been victims of sexual violence as well as those who want
    to know what they can do if they should become victims of such
    crimes in the future.

    ¶66. (U) CEDEHM will also participate in at least 20 television
    programs on the rights of women at the municipal level. We will
    produce 15 radio spots on the rights of women, domestic violence,
    and women's legal alternatives and services available that will be
    broadcasted on local radio.

    ¶67. (U) CEDEHM will .provide free legal representation for female
    victims of violence and document the legal and institutional
    barriers they face.
    CEDEHM will provide a legal refresher workshop to 10 women
    volunteers who will accompany female victims of violence to
    government agencies and the courts and help victims do the
    necessary paperwork and file protection and restraining orders.
    CEDEHM's legal team will provide advice, case monitoring, and free
    legal representation. CEDEHM will document the incentives and legal
    barriers -- through legal representation and litigation -- that
    female victims of violence face in bringing a complaint and seeing
    the trial through to its end. Staff will analyze court records and
    sentences of paradigmatic cases of violence against women and
    develop a report summarizing this information for submission to
    state authorities for use in the promotion of legislative changes.

    ¶68. (U) The desired outcome is to enable more women to know their
    rights and exercise them. The unit of measure used to determine the
    success of this goal will be a survey with women who will have
    received CEDEHM material (videos and brochures) that asks how
    useful the information was and how many times consumers used it.
    CEDEHM will also count phone calls received based on TV and radio
    spots. CEDEHM will gather statistics on the number of women who
    decide to file complaints through the justice system after
    receiving the materials or having been accompanied by our
    volunteers.

    ¶69. (U) CEDEHM will undertake advocacy in the Chihuahua Congress,
    pressing for legislative changes that will benefit women.

    First, CEDEHM will identify and analyze discriminatory laws in the
    Penal Code, Family Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Code of
    Civil Procedure. CEDEHM will identify the discriminatory provisions
    therein or in laws that disproportionately and negatively impact
    women's access to justice. At the same time, CEDEHM will develop
    and analyze the level of compliance with local laws and
    international recommendations. Based on these studies, CEDEHM will
    prepare draft legislation to submit to the Chihuahua Congress,
    Chihuahua Attorney General's office, and the Secretary of the New
    Criminal Justice System.

    BUDGET (In Separate Email)

    RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION

    ¶70. (U) CEDEHM is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that
    was founded in 2005 to provide care and alternatives to female
    victims of violence. Our areas of expertise include free legal
    representation in cases of violence against women, empowerment of
    victims of violence and other organizations, and advocacy. CEDEHM
    is currently the only organization that litigates in the new
    criminal justice system, because our lawyers were trained, together
    with judges and magistrates, in the operation of the new system.

    ¶71. (U) While CEDEHM is based in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua, its

    MEXICO 00000640 013 OF 017

    members train medical personnel across the state on the issue of
    violence against women and provide legal representation in cases
    across the state with special emphasis on Cuauht????moc and Ciudad
    Ju????rez. CEDEHM receives grants primarily from: Primate's World
    Relief and Development, Fondo Mundial para los Derechos Humanos,
    Angelica Foundation, and Ford Foundation. CEDEHM has a staff of 52
    people, 11 full-time salaried employees, 10 part time salaried
    employees, and 31 unpaid volunteers. The fulltime staff includes
    four lawyers, two psychologists, and two international relations
    professionals. Among CEDEHM's achievements, the legal team brought
    the cases of Paloma Escobar and Silvia Arce, cases related to the
    violations of women's human rights, to the IACHR. In addition,
    CEDEHM has participated in thematic hearings before the IACHR,
    including the hearing on women's access to justice in the new
    criminal justice system in November 2009.

    ¶72. (U) CEDEHM has an on-going dialogue with state and municipal
    authorities. CEDEHM is able to mobilize hundreds of women to demand
    justice in public places when necessary. Internationally, CEDEHM is
    allied with Washington-based civil society organizations to send
    information to the US Congress. On 27 January 2010, a memorandum
    entitled Women: Victims of Military Occupation and Violence in
    Chihuahua was sent by CEDEHM and the Washington Office on Latin
    America (WOLA) to Members of the US Congress.

    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
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    ----

    Proposal 4: I(dh)eas- Using The Inter-American Court of Human
    Rights Sentence in the "Cotton Field" Case as an Instrument to
    Empower Women in Their Struggle against Gender Violence
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    --------------------------------------------- ----------------------
    --------------

    ¶73. (SBU) Post Summary: I(dh)eas will host trainings and workshops
    on a recent Inter-American Court decision to inspire women, promote
    creative legal approaches to ending violence against women, and
    ensure the Court's decision is implemented satisfactorily.
    Post Comment: I(dh)eas proposal is focused, well planned, and well
    defined. However, its impact is not focused on the local level and
    while this project would contribute to the larger effort to prevent
    violence against women, it most likely would not have significant
    local impact.

    DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM

    ¶74. (U) Gender violence in Mexico has reached an alarming level,
    particularly in the border areas and big cities. Violence takes on
    several guises, as reflected in the 2003 National Survey on
    Violence against Women, which concluded that 69% of the women
    surveyed have suffered some type of violence, be it on the part of
    their current or previous partners (43%) or by someone in the area
    or community where they reside (39.7%). Currently, there are
    advances in public policies and national and international
    legislation aimed at stopping the spiral of violence, suicide, and
    physical and psychological damage suffered by a great number of
    women and girls. However, governmental measures adopted are not
    sufficient to guarantee women's and girls' access to a life free of
    violence; it is thus necessary to promote farther-reaching social
    programs arising from within grassroots civil society that respond
    to the national and international commitments endorsed by Mexico.

    ¶75. (U) One of the most serious aspects of this societal problem is
    impunity, or the lack of efficient action taken by authorities to
    stem the tide and ultimately abolish violence against women and
    girls. According to a study by the Citizens' Institute for
    Insecurity Studies (ICESI), among all crimes committed in Mexico in
    2004, alleged perpetrators received prison sentences in only 75
    cases out of 1,000; and less than two-thirds of the accused - 49
    out of 1,000 - received condemnatory sentences.

    ¶76. (U) Violence has increased in specific areas such as the

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    infamous case of Ciudad Ju????rez, in the state of Chihuahua, which
    is
    considered by some civil society organizations to be the most
    violent city in the world. More than 600 women have been brutally
    murdered there since 1993, targeted just for being women, without
    any governmental response in the form of investigations, attempts
    to determine the responsible parties, adequate sanctions, or
    integral compensation given to the victims or their survivors.
    There are cultural and social patterns impeding a series of human
    rights violations against women from being considered crimes by
    those responsible for applying justice (judges, officials in charge
    of receiving complaints, police, government officials, etc.).
    Therefore, the great majority of cases of violence against women
    and girls, do not result in favorable sentences for the victims and
    their families, due mainly to a negligent attitude by the public
    servants and the denial of due process to the victims and their
    survivors.

    ¶77. (U) Impunity in cases of gender violence has pushed civil
    society organizations to request the intervention of international
    human rights mechanisms when solutions cannot be found in our own
    judicial system. As a significant example, in December 2009, the
    Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CoIDH) issued a sentence
    against the Mexican state regarding violence against women, in what
    has become known as the "Cotton Field" Case. The case deals with
    three young women who were brutally murdered in Chihuahua. The
    CoIDH sentenced the Mexican government to compensate the victims,
    or their surviving kin, for damages caused by the government by not
    assuming its responsibility to guarantee women a life free of
    violence, and by not providing prompt and expeditious attention to
    the case of forced disappearances of the young women involved.

    ¶78. (U) This case has been the product of a tenacious 20-year
    struggle at different levels of the Mexican justice system by both
    the families of the victims and civil society organizations to
    eradicate gender violence, culminating in taking the case to the
    CoIDH. This sentence must be seen as a success story involving
    citizen participation in an international tribunal in their
    struggle for justice, truth, and freedom for women. Due to the
    relevance and impact of this sentence, not only in Chihuahua but
    also at the national level, it is of utmost importance to ensure
    that women, and the larger public,- including authorities and those
    who must deal with victims and their families - know about the
    sentence and the responsibility it entails for the Mexican
    government. It needs to be assimilated and used as an instrument
    to support greater empowerment of women in their struggle for a
    life without violence, as well as a tool to demand that the Mexican
    government comply with its international commitments. This case is
    considered emblematic and exemplary, and has the potential to
    empower women in leadership and to encourage them to face the
    authorities and press them for justice in current and future cases
    and hold them to their legal responsibilities.

    ¶79. (U) The emblematic sentence itself, as well as its implications
    at the local level, is practically unknown by the great majority of
    Mexican women as well as authorities directly involved in this
    issue (not to mention the general public). Therefore, this project
    is geared towards communicating its importance, relevance, and
    applicability at several levels such that wider sectors of the
    population recognize its judicial value and the moral strength it
    entails as well as its potential for beginning to resolve what has
    been an intractable societal issue. This sentence would provide
    women with the legal support they need to demand greater changes in
    public policy from their governments, and to see those changes
    translated into prevention and education programs to stop the
    gender violence spiral.

    SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROGRAM

    ¶80. (U) The 15-month project will run from June 2010 to December
    ¶2011. The overall objectives of our project are as follows: a)
    Women will know about the contents and relevance of the "Cotton
    Field" sentence, as well as its implications for them in filing
    cases and being able to press for public policies and governmental
    programs that favor a life free of violence as well as prompt and
    expeditious access to justice; b) governmental officials and public
    servants will be linked to law and justice enforcement at the
    national and state levels in order to understand the meaning and

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    scope of the sentence, and to consider modifying and improving
    their methods and criteria for complying with Mexico's obligations
    under international treaties to which it is a signatory; and c) we
    will widely disseminate information on the sentence itself and its
    implications to opinion leaders and members of all branches of the
    media as the basis for grounded judicial action and reform.

    ¶81. (U) This project holds the distinct promise of being a catalyst
    for future actions in two respects: firstly, women, authorities,
    and the general public will know more about the issue of violence
    against women; this knowledge can in turn lead to national and
    international litigation. Secondly, it allows for follow-up and for
    supporting women's initiatives which, through the program, may
    transform into advocacy for pressing for women's rights at
    different levels of government.

    ¶82. (U) In order to accomplish these objectives, we will undertake
    two lines of action: (1) Host a forum and five training workshops
    in which we will provide training, analysis, and discussion of the
    "Cotton Field" sentence as well as possible actions to be
    undertaken utilizing it as a legal tool. The forum and workshops
    will be directed at women leaders from civil society organizations,
    public servants, and members of the media. (2) We will launch a
    campaign targeting wide sectors of the population (such as
    students, housewives, academics, and workers, among many others) to
    disseminate the information about the significance of the sentence,
    its follow-up, and the positive actions that can be undertaken by
    society and government in order to provide a life free of violence
    against women.

    DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT: SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES, DESIRED OUTCOMES,
    AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES

    ¶83. (U) a) A citizen's forum on the implications of the sentence by
    the CoIDH. Due to the lack of information in the media about the
    "Cotton Field" sentence and its legal implications for public
    policy, we will host a public citizens' forum which will include
    women leaders, women's organizations, academics, public leaders,
    NGO representatives, and public servants working in the field of
    women's human rights. Members of i(dh)eas, its partner organization
    the Economic Research and Teaching Center, A.C. (CIDE), and five
    experts on gender issues will discuss and analyze the relevance of
    the "Cotton Field" sentence and its possible implications for
    women's organizations struggling for a society characterized by a
    life without violence. The forum will take place at CIDE's offices
    in November 2010.

    ¶84. (U) Expected results and performance indicators: Fifty women,
    members of the media, and socio-political leaders will participate
    by discussing the transcendence of this sentence and the
    government's (lack of) compliance with it. The information produced
    will be compiled into a formal document and disseminated through
    the media (two radio programs and three national newspapers) and on
    the i(dh)eas and CIDE websites. The forum will initiate public
    discussion of the sentence and will provide conclusions that will
    be used as inputs for the later workshops.

    ¶85. (U) b) Five training workshops. The workshops will have three
    aspects: (1) we will explain and discuss the key international
    treaties that deal with a life free of violence and the issue of
    impunity in an integral and complementary fashion; (2) we will
    explain and discuss the process that led to the CoIDH sentence and
    the Mexican government's obligations dictated therein; and (3) we
    will design possible legal and advocacy strategies to be carried
    out to press for a life free of violence. These two-day workshops
    (two five-hour days) will permit the time to deeply analyze this
    paradigmatic case and the issue of violence against women, and will
    lead to conclusions from the various participating different
    groups. We will host three workshops in Mexico City at the CIDE
    facilities: one for women's civil society organizations, one for
    government officials, and the third for members of the media. Two
    additional workshops will be hosted in the border states of Chiapas
    and Chihuahua, as they are the states with the greatest index of
    women's rights violations. All five workshops will promote
    partnerships with The Women's Institute at the state level, and
    with the authorities involved in the issue of violence against

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    women.

    ¶86. (U) Expected results and performance indicators: Attendance by
    women who are members of diverse women's rights organizations,
    governmental officials in charge of programs linked to the
    attention and prevention of violence against women, and opinion
    leaders, in order to sensitize them on the importance of the
    "Cotton Field" sentence and promote their analysis on potential
    changes in public policy for women enabling them to enjoy a life
    free of violence. In attendance will be 100 women leaders of civil
    society organizations involved in social processes favoring women;
    80 government employees (including personnel from the Women's
    Institute at the state level, judges, police, and representatives
    of the Attorney General's Office at the state and federal levels);
    and 20 members of the media (print, TV, radio, and opinion
    leaders). We will produce a document containing a record of the
    expert presentations, discussions of the participants, and
    legislative proposals made during the workshops. Different
    materials will be produced for the workshops such as PowerPoint
    presentations, a dossier with a synthesis of the international
    treaties and the "Cotton Field" sentence, relevant statistics, and
    some proposals originated in the citizens' forum. The results of
    the workshop will be published on the i(dh)eas and CIDE websites.
    We seek as an ultimate qualitative performance measure for the
    "Cotton Field" sentence to be understood as an instrument for
    women's empowerment and a tool to be used for the improvement of
    public policies that can produce a life free of violence for women
    and girls.

    ¶87. (U) c) Dissemination Campaign. This campaign will be geared to
    exposing the weaknesses of the Mexican government which were
    detailed in the CoIDH sentence, describing actions that have been
    taken, and the need for more integrated governmental programs and
    sustained citizen advocacy, as well as the Mexican government's
    compliance with its obligations under the "Cotton Field" sentence
    and the international treaties to which it is a signatory. The
    actions carried out by civil society to advocate for proposals
    before governmental agencies, as well as formal complaints on
    arbitrary actions or non-fulfillment of Mexico's obligations, will
    also be disseminated. Our campaign will contain three key elements.

    ¶88. (U) 1. Media presence. Strategies will be designed to develop
    relationships with targeted members of the media, in order to
    sensitize them on the issue of violence against women in general
    and the "Cotton Field" sentence in particular, with the goal of
    being interviewed on the radio and having articles written about
    the issues. We will particularly seek out community radio stations
    due to their ability to reach far-flung communities that might
    otherwise not have access to any other source of media. We will
    also hold press conferences on a regular basis. Expected results
    and performance indicators: Our media work will keep the discussion
    of these issues and their implications front-and-center in order to
    sway public opinion and encourage more citizen participation.
    Additionally, the media attention will permit the development of
    follow-up advocacy and other work resulting from the actions
    promoted by the Mexican state as well as women's own proposals and
    demands. Our media work will yield six reports in the print press;
    three radio interviews; four long-term relationships established
    with community radio stations; and three press conferences, one
    each in Mexico City, Chihuahua, and Chiapas.

    ¶89. (U) 2. Design, development, and maintenance of a webpage.
    Information will be sent and updated on an ongoing basis; it will
    be an interactive site and have a permanent email campaign
    targeting and including a wide list of contacts. Expected results
    and performance measures: The interactive website will become a
    clearinghouse of information and discussion forum for participating
    actors and the society at large. The website will be updated on a
    regular basis to reflect the ongoing discussion process that is a
    key aspect of our project herein proposed. The website will be
    linked to the i(dh)eas and CIDE websites. We will send at least
    1,000 emails with relevant information about any positive actions
    taken by governmental authorities in favor of women`s rights, any
    steps backward the government takes, as well as women`s actions to
    demand and promote new public policies that strengthen the respect
    for women's rights. These emails will be sent to various women's
    and human rights organizations and opinion leaders, encouraging
    them to participate in our advocacy campaign and forward these
    messages on to their friends, networks, and other women's groups.

    MEXICO 00000640 017 OF 017

    ¶90. (U) 3. Design and develop dissemination and public education
    materials. Two informational brochures will be distributed to civil
    society organizations and public servants. One of them will focus
    on the importance of the international treaties in the field of
    violence against women and women's rights to which Mexico is a
    signatory, Mexico's obligations thereto, and the treaties'
    complementary characteristics. The second brochure will summarize
    the "Cotton Field" sentence and its implications, point out the
    importance of this instrument for use in litigation at the national
    and international levels, and promote positive actions in favor of
    women. Expected results and performance indicators: We will
    summarize in simple, clear language the main international treaties
    related to women's human rights and their inter-relationship, as
    well as their ability to be used, along with the "Cotton Field"
    sentence, as key instruments for undertaking effective and decisive
    litigation by participating actors. We will publish 1,000 copies
    each of two different brochures and will seek financial backing
    from public institutions to enable us to publish additional copies
    of these brochures and thereby ensure even greater public
    dissemination of the information.

    BUDGET (In Separate Email)

    RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION

    ¶91. (U) I(dh)eas, Litigio Estrat????gico en Derechos Humanos, A.C.
    (i(dh)eas - Strategic Human Rights Litigation, A.C.) is a civil
    association founded in 2009 by individuals with extensive
    experience in the human rights and litigation fields. Our central
    focus is developing strategic litigation on human rights at the
    national and international levels, particularly in the
    Inter-American System (i.e. the Inter-American Commission on Human
    Rights and CoIDH) to promote and protect human rights. In addition
    to strategic litigation, i(dh)eas develops related actions such as
    research, monitoring, and analysis of potential cases, provides
    advice and training for vulnerable sectors (particularly women),
    and undertakes public outreach and media dissemination of its work
    and the issues involved.

    ¶92. (U) As a component of our communication and sensitizing
    strategy on human rights issues, i(dh)eas promotes and supports the
    creation of targeted documentaries and videos discussing social
    problems and human rights violations that are geared towards having
    a strong societal impact. In order to accomplish our objectives,
    i(dh)eas establishes alliances with both victims of human rights
    violations as well as national and international human rights
    organizations, judicial bodies, businesses, and private
    foundations. Our core working themes are: justice and a democratic
    state based on the rule of law; women's rights; rights of migrants
    and asylum; and social equity, nondiscrimination, and social rights
    all of them with a gender perspective. I(dh)eas presently has two
    projects funded by the Ford Foundation, including the co-production
    of a documentary film on Central American women who migrate to the
    US via Mexico, and a film about sexual and reproductive rights,
    legal interruption of pregnancy, and access to justice.

    ¶93. (U) I(dh)eas has a professional technical team of nine people
    with extensive experience in the field of human rights at both the
    national and international levels. This project will be spearheaded
    by three individuals. Fabi????n S????nchez is an international human
    rights lawyer and the Executive Director of i(dh)eas. He was
    formerly director of the Mexican Commission for the Defense and
    Promotion of Human Rights. Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi is a human
    rights activist. She has work in many national and international
    human rights organizations and was formerly president of the
    Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights
    and Sub-Secretary of State for Human Rights in President Fox's
    administration. She currently works as a Professor/Associate
    Researcher at CIDE. Luz Rosales Esteva is a social worker, former
    director of the Citizen Movement for Democracy in Mexico (MCD), and
    former director of the Womens???? Institute in Mexico City. She has
    worked extensively with civil society organizations and government
    institutions for social justice and currently woks as Coordinator
    for the Community Program "Discurso Eficaz" [Effective Discourse]
    at the Universidad Aut????noma de la Ciudad de M????xico (Autonomous
    National University of Mexico).
    FEELEY

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