Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights

The Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, CMDPDH) is a Mexican civil society organization dedicated to the promotion and defense of human rights. Founded in December 1989, it works to contribute to the consolidation of a democratic state governed by the rule of law, based on a culture of respect, protection and guarantee of human rights from an integral and multidisciplinary perspective. Its board of directors has included figures such as Ana Francisca Vega, Carolina Coppel, Luis González Placencia, Pilar Calveiro Garrido and Regina Tamés. The organization pursues structural changes in the Mexican state so that it complies with its human rights obligations. Its methods include strategic litigation, integral accompaniment of victims, advocacy, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, and public awareness campaigns. Its stated objectives include defending human rights through strategic litigation strategies; disseminating information about human rights defense cases and human rights in Mexico generally; collaborating with individuals, organizations, governmental institutions and international bodies involved in the defense, promotion, dissemination or teaching of human rights; encouraging the formation of groups dedicated to the defense and dissemination of human rights; and participating in and promoting congresses, courses and conferences on human rights. CMDPDH holds consultative status before the Organization of American States (OAS) and before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is an affiliated organization of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Nationally, it is a member of the Mexican Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CMCPI), the Coordination Space on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Mexico (ESPACIO DESC), the Mexican Chapter of the Inter-American Platform for Human Rights, Democracy and Development, and the Citizen Observatory to Monitor the Administration of Justice in Femicide Cases in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua. Internationally, it is a member of the International Network on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Coalition of Organizations for Human Rights in the Americas. Recent public activity has focused on the rights of people in mobility and on migration detention. In January 2024, alongside other civil society organizations, CMDPDH called for guaranteeing effective access to human rights for people in mobility, expressing concern over the failure to issue documents that by law should be delivered to such persons. Also in January 2024, it announced that a legal process before the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) led to Recommendation No. 257/2023 in favor of a refugee applicant in Mexico who had been returned twice. In December 2023, CMDPDH celebrated a favorable ruling in a legal battle against the National Migration Institute (INM) that granted access to document conditions in migration stations. The organization also publishes reports, such as one on the principle of non-refoulement, aimed at eliminating the practice of returning persons who have formally expressed needs for international protection before the Mexican state.

The Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (CMDPDH) was founded in December 1989 as a Mexican civil society organization dedicated to the promotion and defense of human rights. From its founding, it has sought to contribute to the consolidation of a democratic state governed by the rule of law, based on a culture of respect, protection and guarantee of human rights from an integral and multidisciplinary perspective. Over more than three decades, CMDPDH has developed a working model that combines strategic litigation, integral accompaniment of victims, advocacy, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, and public awareness campaigns. Through these methods it aims to drive structural changes in the Mexican state so that it complies with its human rights obligations without distance or exception. The organization has built national and international recognition. It holds consultative status before the Organization of American States (OAS) and before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is an affiliated organization of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Nationally, it is a member of the Mexican Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CMCPI), the Coordination Space on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Mexico (ESPACIO DESC), the Mexican Chapter of the Inter-American Platform for Human Rights, Democracy and Development, and the Citizen Observatory to Monitor the Administration of Justice in Femicide Cases in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua. Internationally, it is a member of the International Network on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Coalition of Organizations for Human Rights in the Americas. Its objectives include defending human rights through strategic litigation strategies; disseminating information about human rights defense cases and human rights in Mexico generally; collaborating with individuals, organizations, governmental institutions and international bodies involved in the defense, promotion, dissemination or teaching of human rights; encouraging the formation of groups dedicated to the defense and dissemination of human rights; and participating in and promoting congresses, courses and conferences on human rights, as well as disseminating and publishing the results of its actions. In recent years, CMDPDH's public work has focused significantly on the rights of people in mobility and on migration detention in Mexico. In December 2023, it celebrated a favorable ruling after a legal battle against the National Migration Institute (INM), which granted access to document conditions in migration stations. In January 2024, it announced that a legal process before the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) led to Recommendation No. 257/2023 in favor of a refugee applicant in Mexico who had been returned twice, revealing serious failures of the Mexican migration system. Also in January 2024, together with other civil society organizations, it called for guaranteeing effective access to human rights for people in mobility, expressing concern over the failure to issue documents that by law should be delivered to such persons. The organization has also published reports such as one on the principle of non-refoulement, aimed at eliminating the practice of returning persons who have formally expressed needs for international protection before the Mexican state.

• 2024

  In January, CMDPDH announces that a legal process before the CNDH led to Recommendation No. 257/2023 in favor of a refugee applicant who had been returned twice.

• 2024

  In January, CMDPDH and other civil society organizations call for guaranteeing effective access to human rights for people in mobility.

• 2023

  In December, CMDPDH celebrates a favorable ruling after a legal battle against the National Migration Institute (INM), granting access to document conditions in migration stations.

• 1989

  CMDPDH is founded in December as a Mexican civil society organization dedicated to the promotion and defense of human rights.

A Mexican human rights civil society organization using strategic litigation, victim accompaniment, advocacy and knowledge generation to push for structural change in the Mexican state.

• Strategic litigation

  Legal strategies before national and international bodies to defend human rights and push for structural change.

• Integral accompaniment of victims

  Comprehensive support for victims of human rights violations.

• Advocacy

  Advocacy work to influence public policy and state compliance with human rights obligations.

• Knowledge generation and dissemination

  Research, reports and publications on human rights in Mexico.

• Public awareness campaigns

  Campaigns to disseminate information and raise awareness about human rights.

1. 1CMDPDH | Comisión Mexicanacmdpdh.org
2. 2Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH) - Wikipediaes.wikipedia.org