Mexico

Gender-based violence against women and girls is very widespread in Mexico. In 2024, a total of 6,837 women were murdered in the country, equivalent to 18 per day. However, only 839 of these murders were recorded as femicides. 2024 also saw a rise in sexual offences against girls and young women, as well as in domestic violence and human trafficking. Furthermore, the country has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the OECD countries.

Sexual and reproductive health needs are especially high among female migrants, whether in their countries of origin, during their migration journey or while they are in Mexico. They have specific healthcare needs linked to violence, gender-based sexual violence, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and maternal healthcare.

Médecins du Monde works with the public authorities to tailor healthcare services to meet the needs of migrant communities, guarantee access to public health services for undocumented migrants and ensure access to safe abortion services for all women, including migrants.

In addition, our work in Mexico is part of a long-term regional advocacy strategy implemented with Médecins du Monde Spain and Switzerland. The aims of this strategy are to guarantee access to healthcare and protection throughout the migration journey, promote the right to life without violence, improve primary healthcare and respond effectively to emergencies and humanitarian crises.

Médecins du Monde has two mobile teams which are located on the southern border with Guatemala (in Tapachula) and on the northern border with the United States (in Ciudad Juarez). We offer primary healthcare and sexual and reproductive healthcare in shelters that provide lodging for hundreds of migrants, as well as in asylum seeker accommodation and on the street.

We also provide health promotion sessions. We educate migrants about health issues and help them to empower themselves, for instance by explaining how they can access public health services and what to do if they are refused access to these services.

Médecins du Monde also works closely with a range of partners, for example by providing donations of medicines to migrant shelters, by referring patients to specialist mental health organisations or by coordinating our activities with the public authorities and United Nations agencies.

Since 2020, Médecins du Monde has been working to improve access to healthcare for survivors of gender-based violence from migrant communities. We have been part of the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) programme since 2023 which seeks to tackle gender-based violence by providing funding and building the capacity of feminist organisations and movements in Mexico and Colombia.

By late 2024, a strong Latin American network had already been established, with 35 feminist organisations taking part in the project.

The project has reached 57 organisations with various capacity-building measures and 34 organisations have taken part in national and international advocacy forums.