UN: Mexico Is Moving Forward The News
go to original March 15, 2012

MEXICO CITY – The United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) congratulated the Mexican government on its advances in human rights issues, including human rights guarantees, and reforms of the criminal justice system.

In a resolution published in Geneva on Tuesday, the CERD made its final observations on the 16th and 17th Consolidated Reports, which evaluate Mexico’s compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The CERD praised the creation of a working group made up of the National Commission for the Prevention of Discrimination (Conapred), the Foreign Affairs Secretariat (SRE), and the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI). This work group’s purpose is to follow through on the CERD’s recommendations, fighting racial discrimination, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance.

The committee acknowledged advances in institutions and programs, including the Conapred, the General Language Rights Act and the Program for the Development of Indigenous Peoples 2009-2010. The CERD recommended that the Conapred broaden its powers and prerogatives.

In a press release, the international organization also underscored the results of the National Survey on Discrimination in Mexico 2010, a tool to make those suffering discrimination in the country more visible.

Regarding security and justice system reforms, the CERD urged Mexican authorities to guarantee indigenous people full access to bilingual public defenders in legal processes, and recognized the Migration Act, which protects migrant workers’ rights, as an advance.

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