PRESS RELEASE

EUROPEAN PRESENTATION OF IM-DEFENSORAS 2012-2014 REPORT

ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN
MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
- 31 Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) were assassinated in Mexico and Central America between 2012
and 2014.
- In this period, IM-Defensoras registered 1,688 attacks on WHRDs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Mexico, and documented diverse situations of violence against WHRDs in Nicaragua.
- Women who defend territory and natural resources as well as those who work against violence against women
face the most attacks, according the information registered by IM-Defensoras.
Mesoamerica, 6 October 2015. On 7, 8 and 12 October, the Mesoamerican Women Human Rights Defenders Initiative
(IM-Defensoras) made up of 690 women defenders in Mexico and Central America in collaboration with Front Line
Defenders and Calala-Womens Fund (Spanish State), will present in Madrid, Barcelona, and Brussels the findings from
its recent Report 2012-2014 regarding attacks on WHRDs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and
Nicaragua.
A delegation of representatives from IM-Defensoras, joined by Alda Facio Independent Expert of the United Nations
Working Group on discrimination against women in law and in practice will hold several public events and meetings
with public institutions and human rights organizations. Daysi Flores, Gilda Lemus, Marusia Lpez, and Vernica Vidal
will participate on behalf of IM-Defensoras.1
Based on data collected through the Mesoamerican Registry of WHRDs, created in 2011 by IM-Defensoras, the 20122014 Report provides updated information about attacks on WHRDs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico
during the period 2012-2014, and includes a special chapter on the situation in Nicaragua. This is the second report of
its kind published by IM-Defensoras.
The report analyses the context of discrimination against women, violence and systematic human rights violations in the
Mesoamerican region, and then uses statistical information to describe the risks that WHRDs face as part of their human
rights work, as well as the impunity in which these attacks remain.

1 The event in Madrid will take place at El Centro Cultural La Corrala, on Wednesday 7 October at 5:30pm (Calle

Carlos Arniche 3-5, metro La Latina). The following day, on 8 October, the Report will be presented in Barcelona at Palau Macaya,at 5:30pm.
Lastly, on Monday 12 October, in Brussels, the Reports findings will be presented to representatives of the
European Union.

Among the Reports main findings, it is highlighted that between 2012 and 2014, IM-Defensoras registered 1,688 attacks on WHRDs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and documented diverse situations of violence
against WHRDs in Nicaragua. In that same period, 31 assassinations of WHRDs and 39 attempted assassinations were
registered.
A gender component was identified in at least 37% of the registered attacks; meaning attacks that included some of the
forms of discrimination and violence against women motivated by their gender identity.
According to the Registrys information, the main types of attacks on WHRDs in the region are: Intimidation and psychological harassment; Threats, warnings, and ultimatums; and Slander, accusations, and smear campaigns. The analysis also shows a worrying increase in the use of Criminalization and prosecution to punish WHRDs and inhibit their
work.
WHRDs who work at the local level and in rural areas face the most attacks, representing 54% and 46% of the cases, respectively. Throughout the region, the main perpetrators are State agents (local and national authorities, police, and
army, among others.)
This Report contributes to the understanding of the situation of WHRDs in Mesoamerica and to identifying their
primary needs for protection. This is particularly relevant given the absence of official data or reports on the issue and
the lack of gender-sensitive protection mechanisms in the region. As International Expert Alda Facio affirmed in the introduction to the Report: From a gender perspective, we can see that when we say that WHRDs have specific protection needs, it is not because we suffer a higher number of attacks (although that is true in terms of sexual attacks), but
because we suffer the same attacks in a different way, or because we suffer different types of attacks or in different
spheres than men do.
For More Information / Interviews
BENJAMN ACOSTA
Mobile (Mxico D.F, Mxico): 0052 1 55 37062514
E-mail: benjico5@gmail.com

Red Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en Guatemala

Iniciativa Nicaragense de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos