Comunicados de Prensa

MEXICAN FEDERAL JUDICIARY RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST PRACTICES IN THE AMERICAS AND CARIBBEAN FOR WOMEN´S LEADERSHIP

The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice and the Council of the Federal Judiciary are the inaugural recipients of the Inter-American Award for Good Practices in Women s Leadership, recognizing the Federal Judiciary as the institution with the best public policies for women´s leadership across the Americas and the Caribbean.

Awarded by the Organization of American States through the Inter-American Commission on Women, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and other international and civil society organizations, this prize seeks to recognize and amplify public policies that empower women and increase their representation in leadership positions.

Under the administration of Chief Justice Arturo Zaldívar, the Federal Judiciary has implemented an integral, three-pronged strategy for achieving gender equality within its ranks and in its judgments.

In the period from 2019 to 2022, the Mexican Council of the Federal Judiciary has appointed more female district and circuit court judges than ever before, through rules that guarantee equal access to opportunities within the judiciary and affirmative actions specifically aimed at closing documented gender gaps.

Additionally, the Federal Council and the Supreme Court have transformed the workplace environment, implementing a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and gender-based violence, as well as a far-reaching set of measures that allow women to balance their personal and professional commitments but also break gender stereotypes that place the burden of domestic and care activities squarely on women´s shoulders.

The nomination for the award was supported by: Elementa DDHH, A.C.; the representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico; the Mexican Association of Judges, A.C.; Intersecta Organización para la Igualdad, A.C.; the representation of UN Women in Mexico; and the International Association of Woman Judges, whom the Mexican Supreme Court and the Council of the Federal Judicature thank for their valuable support.

Likewise, it expresses its gratitude to the organizations that make up the Inter-American working group, which awards the prize: the Organization of American States through the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), ParlAmericas, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), International IDEA, together with two civil society organizations: Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL) and the Latin American and Caribbean Committee for Defense of Women s Rights (CLADEM).

Finally, the Federal Judiciary has executed several strategies to ensure that judges and judicial staff are gender-responsive as they decide cases in all areas of law and refrain from stereotypes that hinder women´s access to justice. That is, that the federal courts produce better judgments, for the benefit of the nation at large.

The international community has recognized the good practices implemented by the Mexican Federal Judiciary so that they may serve as a model to other institutions across the continent.

The award will be presented to Chief Justice Arturo Zaldívar on the 9th of June 2022, in the city of Los Angeles, at the Summit of the Americas.