Diversity of Bodies
Inclusion and Justice for All
Just as Paralympic athletes demonstrated that diversity is a strength, at GIRE we work to guarantee rights regardless of social or physical barriers.
PARIS 2O24 STOOD OUT for its diversity and inclusion, especially at the Paralympic Games. Inspired by this visibility, we work to make reproductive justice accessible to all people, regardless of identity, body, or context. We amplify the voices of historically marginalized communities and work in strategic alliances to guarantee equitable access to reproductive rights.
Together with the organizations Balance, Disability Rights International Mexico, Mutatis, and Don’t Mess with Our Daughters, we filed an injunction against the articles of the Sinaloa Penal Code that allowed abortion without the consent of a woman with a disability. On October 29, 2024, the First Chamber of the Supreme Court recognized the right of people with a disability to make decisions about their health and reproduction, and ordered the non-application of these articles to women and people with childbearing capacity accompanied by GIRE.
In 2024, we documented and accompanied 93 new cases: 77 cases of abortion service denial, 4 cases of abortion criminalization, 10 obstetric violence cases, 1 case of a maternal death, and 1 case regarding rights violations in the context of assisted reproduction techniques. In addition to these new cases, we continued comprehensive accompaniment of 116 ongoing cases from previous years. Here are ten wins that we achieved while accompanying these women and their families.
A Chihuahua Collegiate Court issued a ruling in favor of Diana Laura, who was denied abortion services due to rape, because the state’s penal code only permitted the procedure in the first trimester of pregnancy. The court reiterated the jurisprudence of the National Supreme Court and reiterated the unconstitutionality of applying a time limit in accessing a legal abortion.
A District Court in the state of Puebla ruled in favor of Yoselin, a woman originally from the state of Tlaxcala, who experienced violent treatment when she went to the Zona Norte General Hospital for an abortion. The ruling establishes that Yoselin experienced obstetric violence and recognizes the right to access relevant and understandable information during the administration of reproductive health services that allow for free and informed decisions regarding one’s health and body.
The Coahuila State Human Rights Commission reopened the complaint filed by Mia, a teenager who was denied abortion services due to rape. With the help of local counselors, we explained to the Commission that the case was closed inadequately, as Mia’s legal guardian was pressured to withdraw the initial report, and considerations regarding her age were lacking throughout the process.
A District Court ruled in favor of Berenice, who was pressured to resign from the Mexico City Electoral Institute due to her pregnancy, maternity leave, and requests to adapt her work schedule to accommodate breastfeeding. Since 2017, we have supported her in her search for justice for human rights violations in the context of motherhood, and in 2023, we filed an injunction (amparo) due to deficiencies in the comprehensive reparation plan issued by the Executive Commission for Victim Assistance. The judge ordered a recalculation of the compensation measures and a public apology.
We ensured that the authorities of a public hospital issued a public apology to Cristina, who, in 2014, was a victim of obstetric violence and whose daughter died a few days after birth due to a lack of timely medical care. For a decade, Cristina embarked on a path of seeking justice, and we are honored to have stood by her side.
Since 2021, we have supported a teenager from Jalisco who was denied an abortion due to rape by a public hospital in Guadalajara due to the number of weeks of pregnancy. We filed an injunction (amparo) that was improperly resolved by a District Court. The case was taken up by the Supreme Court, which in May 2024 recognized the human rights violations resulting from the delay in accessing legal abortion and ordered the issuance of a comprehensive reparation plan, developed with the victim’s participation.
The Federal Administrative Court issued a ruling recognizing the obstetric violence experienced by Yessica, whom we have been supporting since 2022. It also ordered compensation to be paid to her and a public apology from the Ecatepec General Hospital in the State of Mexico.
The National Institute of Perinatology authorized and performed an abortion on Abi. We celebrate that this public health institution provided, without violence or discrimination and with respect for the woman’s decision, a service that had been denied in other cases supported by GIRE.
Compliance with all comprehensive reparation measures was ensured for Mónica. While working in the Banking and Industrial Police, she experienced events that prevented her from exercising her right to motherhood in a dignified manner, free from violence. Regarding this case and that of two other women, the Mexico City Human Rights Commission issued Recommendation 8/2020, determining that all women suffered institutional violence due to maternity.
All comprehensive reparation measures were completed for Isabel and Diego, her partner, in a case involving obstetric violence. The local human rights commission had issued a recommendation, and, concerned that it would be concluded without receiving comprehensive reparation measures, we advocated for the Puebla State Executive Commission for Victim Assistance to provide appropriate follow-up.
We secured 11 comprehensive reparation rulings with positive resolutions that establish various measures for the restoration of rights, determined in collaboration with victims of reproductive rights violations.