Mexico 2021

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)

Fostering a Democratic Culture by Addressing Citizen Insecurity and Encouraging Youth Entrepreneurship and Civic Participation

$253,459

To address the dual challenges of encouraging stronger youth participation in democratic culture and renewing civil society’s commitment to solving longstanding security issues in the border state of Baja California. The Center will pilot a new approach to finding and raising awareness of solutions to these central impediments to Mexico’s democratic development. First, the Center and its partner will collect data on insecurity and business extortion through analysis and stakeholder interviews to formulate policy recommendations to combat citizen insecurity. The Center and partner will then develop an outreach campaign to support reforms. Second, the Center will work with a new partner and youth entrepreneurs in the dynamic sector of creative industries to identify new pathways for economic growth and increased civic participation. The Center will map the entrepreneurial ecosystem, design youth-led roadmaps for increased civic participation and economic development and elevate the role youth entrepreneurs can play in their communities.

 

Colectivo de Analisis de la Seguridad con Democracia AC

Analyzing Public Security Policies

$130,000

To contribute high quality analysis of public policies and protocols for safety responding to citizen security challenges; and to build capacity and advocate for the adoption of citizen security policies and practices that improve security, and respect human rights and freedom of expression. The group will conduct studies on the National Guard and changing security policies across Mexico and how it affects the work of journalists in seven states.

 

Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, A.C.

Raising Awareness About the Impact of Militarization

$130,000

To foster understanding of the process of militarization of public security and civilian duties; and to advocate for public policy responses that strengthen political and human rights. The organization will support the work of a CSO collective, #SeguridadSinGuerra, to advocate and carry out communication campaigns on the impacts of militarization on politics and human rights. The program will coordinate litigation cases on the transfer of duties to the military and advocate for public policy responses that strengthen political and human rights.

 

ControlaTuGobierno A.C.

Empowering Women’s CSOs to Hold Government Accountable

$130,000

To empower women’s civil society organizations to hold government accountable and tackle corruption. The group will conduct an intensive 10-month training covering transparency laws and ways to hold government officials accountable for six local CSOs. The group will also provide technical assistance and mentorship to women’s CSOs implementing accountability programs in their communities. The organization will also investigate and publish a report on the differentiated impact of corruption on women and launch a Women´s Anti-Corruption Network nationally.

 

Data Cívica, A.C.

Documenting and Raising Awareness on Electoral Violence

$57,678

To document and raise awareness about the impact of electoral violence on political processes. The organization will gather data on electoral violence, centralize this information in a report, and brief electoral authorities and journalists on identified issues and suggest ways to tackle the problem. The organization will also build capacity for 50 journalists on how to leverage and analyze data and provide them with technical support to produce high impact investigations on this topic.

 

Instituto para la Seguridad y la Democracia

Bolstering Investigative Journalism Specialized on Organized Crime

$105,000

To foster media coverage on organized crime, corruption, and insecurity by building capacity and fostering networks of investigative journalists. The organization will partner with a leading public university and provide mentorship, capacity building, resources, and financial support to a network of 25 journalists which will publish high impact stories in the leading media outlets of the country reaching out to millions of readers.

 

Intersecta Organización Para la Igualdad

Building Public Awareness on the Human Rights Costs of Militarization

$130,000

To document and raise awareness about the human rights cost of militarization. The organization will host two closed-door seminars on the effects of militarization with security experts, human rights activists, and members of the feminist movement. The group will formalize an alliance that will explore ways to provide and advocate for innovative responses to security challenges and launch a public awareness campaign on the human rights cost of public security policies.

 

Laboratorio de Litigio Estructural A.C.

Strengthening the Rule of Law

$41,000

To apply new litigation techniques addressing systemic issues across Mexico and strengthening the rule of law. The group will partner with civil society organizations to conduct workshops on applying strategic litigation in Mexico. The organization will begin testing these new litigation strategies with six cases that will likely address forced disappearances, torture, labor rights, freedom of expression, and attacks against journalists. The organization counts with extensive experience defending human rights cases before international human rights mechanisms.

 

México Unido Contra la Delincuencia A.C.

Documenting the Militarization of Public Life

$70,000

To document the militarization of civilian competencies by shedding light on transferred duties and budgets to the armed forces; and to raise awareness about increased militarization and foster public debates and accountability on the role of the military. The organization will document the transfer of civilian duties to the armed forces and litigate unconstitutional situations in courts and carry out communication campaigns and advocacy efforts to raise awareness on the impact of militarization.

 

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)

Strengthening Political Processes and Institutions in a COVID-19 Environment

$600,000

To strengthen key political processes and democratic institutions in Mexico, the Institute will strengthen the strategies of civic groups and political parties to adjust to a COVID-19 and post pandemic context; and improve the capacities of governments and legislatures to design and consider more transparent and inclusive policies as part of open parliament or government plans. Activities will include supporting open parliament, party strengthening and political process monitoring initiatives at the national and state level.

 

Solidarity Center (SC)

Countering Trends in the Informalization of Work

$857,160

To promote access to social protections, increased job stability, and fairer remuneration for workers in non-standard forms of employment, defined by the ILO as ‘jobs that are not continuous, full time and with a direct relationship between employers and employees’, the Center will support the most vulnerable workers in sectors such as the platform economy, retail, and logistics, including women and migrant workers, to conduct worker-to-worker outreach, strategic and corporate research, and coalition-building, so that these vulnerable workers better channel demands for safety and health protection, social security benefits, as well as to build independent, representative organizations for improved labor rights compliance.