Reverence at the podium

INSPIRED BY Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles’ gesture toward Rebeca Andrade, we celebrate collective work and the importance of recognizing other voices. We strengthened ties to bolster the movement for reproductive justice; we collaborated on processes to achieve historic decriminalization in several states across Mexico; and, together with allied organizations, we participated in international forums to advocate for reproductive rights.

On July 15, the Puebla Congress decriminalized abortion during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. This reform was the result of long-term collective work, in which GIRE has been a part in Puebla. On October 14, 2022, a District Judge granted us, along with CAFIS and Odesyr, an injunction to ensure that no woman or person capable of bearing a child who received advice, assistance, or advocacy from these organizations would be criminalized for having an abortion. In 2023, we held meetings with local authorities to monitor compliance with the court ruling. These advances contributed to the ongoing work of organizations and collectives demanding access to safe and legal abortion in the state.

After multiple attempts, on October 10, the Michoacan Congress swiftly approved a ruling that eliminates penalties for people who consent to or self-procure an abortion, regardless of the stage of pregnancy, but maintains the criminalization of those who seek such services after twelve weeks of gestation. GIRE provided technical assistance to various local actors who made this reform possible. On November 25, the Congress of the State of Mexico decriminalized voluntary abortion up to twelve weeks of gestation. This reform was achieved thanks to the efforts of local, national, and international civil society organizations; GIRE participated in organizing various social mobilization activities and presenting a citizen initiative.

On November 26, the Chiapas Congress decriminalized abortion as a result of a long advocacy process. On May 4, 2023, it approved a bill eliminating the gestational age limit for accessing abortion in cases of rape. This was in compliance with the ruling on comprehensive reparations for the human rights violations experienced by a teenager supported by GIRE. However, the reform maintained the criminalization of abortion. Together with Catholics for the Right to Decide in Mexico, we promoted the filing of a Constitutional Action; on June 2, 2023, the CNDH (National Commission of Human Rights) filed a lawsuit against the reform before the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN). On November 7, 2024, the Court’s Plenary reviewed the matter and decided to bind the local legislature to adopt an abortion regulation model that guarantees the rights of women and pregnant people.

Our legal strategy against penal codes that absolutely criminalize voluntary abortion yielded important victories for the advancement of the Green Tide movement. Based on our injunctions, various federal courts declared unconstitutional articles that absolutely prohibit voluntary abortion. In this regard, the respective local congresses were ordered to repeal the crime of self-procurement and consented abortion. In some of these states, we provided technical assistance to feminist collectives, allied organizations, and legislators.

  Jalisco 
On April 25, the Second Collegiate Court in Criminal Matters of the Third Circuit granted the injunction filed by our allies, the Center for Feminist Accompaniment, Development, and Research (CADIfeminista), the Center for Diversity and Sexual Rights, the Center for Justice for Peace and Development (CEPAD), Omeyocán, Psychotherapy, Sexology and Development, and the Emma Goldman Latin American Collective. Congress complied with the order and on October 4 decriminalized voluntary abortion during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Nayarit
On August 1, the Second Collegiate Court of the Twenty-Fourth Circuit granted the injunction we filed with the organizations Aquelarre Púrpura and Redefine Nayarit, a member of the youth network of the Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute (ILSB). Congress complied with the order and on January 24, 2025, decriminalized voluntary abortion during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Zacatecas
On August 9, the Second Collegiate Court of the Twenty-Third Circuit granted the injunction we filed together with the Adornos del Semidesierto collective. Congress complied with the order and on November 19, decriminalized voluntary abortion during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Morelos
On October 28, the Ninth District Judge of the State of Morelos granted the injunction we filed together with the groups Amo Ximayahue, Redefine Morelos, Divulvadoras, and Colectivo Algaraza. The court decision became final after state authorities withdrew their appeal for review. Congress is pending compliance with the order and decriminalization of voluntary abortion.

We held a meeting with three local collectives defending the right to abortion, which we have supported over the past year through advice and technical assistance in litigation, public policy advocacy, communications, and research. They are: the Center for Justice, Democracy, and Equality (CEJUDI) in Yucatán; Free and Chosen Mobilities (COLIBRES) in Chiapas; and the Observatory of Violence Against Women (OVM) in Guerrero. We provided them with tools to boost social media campaigns, draft injunctions, and design advocacy strategies.

Within the framework of the Third Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policies “Solutions for a Better Tomorrow,” GIRE participated in the Mexican Feminist Foreign Policy Network’s parallel event, “Towards a Feminist Foreign Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean,” which took place in Mexico City. In addition, we convened a specific panel on the advances and challenges of sexual and reproductive rights in the region, in which the Center for Reproductive Rights, Catholics for the Right to Decide Mexico, Consorcio Oaxaca and public health expert Karla Berdichevsky participated.

Marea Verde MX (Green Tide, Mexico), composed of GIRE, Balance, and the Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute, featured the participation of groups of people with disabilities, trans people, and people in migration in the September 28th mobilization. It renewed its strategies with embroidery workshops and a bicycle ride in Mexico City to demand that Congress eliminate the crime of self-procurement and consented abortion from the Federal Penal Code. Marea Verde MX also participated in social mobilizations in Jalisco, the State of Mexico, and Puebla in favor of the decriminalization of abortion.

Within the framework of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, we participated with the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Colombian and Mexican Permanent Missions to the United Nations, in a panel to present legal advances on abortion in Latin America. We shared experiences and lessons learned from our legal strategy against criminal codes that continue to criminalize voluntary abortion, as well as the necessary steps for safe access to this health service. Together with the Center for Reproductive Rights, we participated in the pre-working session of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights for Mexico’s seventh periodic report. We warned about the obstacles that persist in accessing legal and safe abortion in the country, despite regulatory advances.

We attended the 191st session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Together with various organizations, such as the Center for Reproductive Rights, Promsex, Equality Now, Women Enabled International, and PAIIS, we participated in a public hearing where we presented the status of sexual and reproductive rights for people with disabilities.

With the goal of strengthening solidarity among movements and learning collectively, we participated in exchanges between feminist and human rights organizations in the Global South. Some of these events were:

Reproductive Justice Litigation Meeting, July 12 and 14 in Uganda.

4th International Exchange for Safe Abortion Rights Advocacy, organized by the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) and the Philippines Safe Abortion Network (PISAN), September 23-25 ​​in the Philippines.

Academic seminar convened by Justa Libertad, an Ecuadorian movement demanding the judicial decriminalization of abortion, September 26-27 in Ecuador.

Regional Meeting on Abortion and Disability of the Latin American Consortium Against Unsafe Abortion (CLACAI) and the CLACAI Legal Network, October 2 and 3 in the United States.

17th International Colloquium on Human Rights, November 4-8 in Brazil.

← PREV   NEXT →