Federal legislators, state representatives, and UN Women launched the ‘Alianza de Xicoténcatl’ to unify legal frameworks against sexual abuse and gender violence in Mexico. The initiative follows the harassment faced by President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City's Historic Center. The goal is to ensure uniform typification of crimes nationwide.
At the ancient Senate seat in Xicoténcatl, Mexico City, the ‘Alianza de Xicoténcatl’ was launched, a national front aiming to harmonize laws on substantive equality and combating sexual abuse. The ceremony featured Citlalli Hernández, Secretary of Women; Martha Lucía Micher, president of the Senate's Gender Equality Commission; and Anaís Miriam Burgos Hernández, president of the Chamber of Deputies' Gender Equality Commission, alongside UN Women representatives.
Citlalli Hernández stressed: “this is the great Alianza de Xicoténcatl because we always face that we are not a priority, that it is not urgent, that it is exaggerated, and surely many challenges when trying to make legislative proposals in favor of women.” The alliance involves the three branches of the Union, 32 local congresses, and international organizations to uniformly typify and sanction crimes such as sexual abuse, harassment, femicide, and gender violence.
Martha Lucía Micher announced a permanent working table for 2025, with UN Women support, to advance legal harmonization. The initiative coincides with the first anniversary of the constitutional reform on substantive equality, promulgated on November 15, 2024. Senate President Laura Itzel Castillo celebrated the event and previewed a January gathering in Yucatán for the 110th anniversary of the First Latin American Feminist Congress.
Anaís Miriam Burgos Hernández outlined a roadmap including harmonization of criminal types, updating state equality laws, creating a national legislative follow-up system with a gender perspective, and training for public servants. Moni Pizani Orsini from UN Women Mexico highlighted the political and ethical message to the world. Citlalli Hernández noted that President Sheinbaum's recently presented Integral Plan against Sexual Abuse will serve as the foundation for this effort.