Profiles of KAIROS partners in Mexico
Centro de Derechos Humanos Tepeyac del Istmo de Tehauntepec, AC- Tepeyac Human Rights Centre
Tepeyac Human Rights Centre (Centro Tepeyac) is a human rights organization with its roots in the diocese of Tehuantepec on the Isthmus of Oaxaca. Centro Tepeyac has documented and denounced collective human rights violations of the Indigenous peoples in the Isthmus area since 1992. In this work it has made links between the violation of Indigenous rights and the economic development in the region. Centro Tepeyac works at a community, national and international level on education, advocacy and policy related to Indigenous and land rights. KAIROS supports the program, Community Accompaniment of Indigenous people affected by the Trans-istmus Mega-project (or Plan Puebla Panana) that includes i) workshops on human rights and constitutional rights, ii) exchanges, iii) dialogue and advocacy with the government and iv) organization of national and international fora on the legal frameworks for indigenous rights. At a Mesoamerican level, Tepeyac in is involved in networks that are resisting Plan Puebla Panama and searching for alternatives. At a continental level, Tepeyac is a member of COMPA ( Convergence of Organizations and Movements of Peoples of the Americas): www.compasite.org
The staff at Tepeyac Human Rights Centre. Photo: Rachel Warden/KAIROS
In May 2002, KAIROS supported Centro Tepeyac to organize the Indigenous Peoples' Congress of the Isthmus region which resulted in the formation of a regional coordination of the Peoples of the Isthmus. As a result of this Congress and regional coordination, in October 2002 a the complaint was made by Indigenous communities to the in the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the violation of Convention 169, article 6, an extremely important human rights instrument which states among other things that indigenous communities must be consulted before economic projects are carried out on their land or territory. In June 2003 this complaint was heard by the ILO and ruled admissible.
Centro de Estudios Ecumenicos, A.C – Centre of Ecumenical Studies
National Program, Mexico
www.estudiosecumenicos.org.mx
The Centre of Ecumenical Studies (CEE) is a civil organization with a commitment to social ecumenism. CEE has programs in i) pastoral training for social justice, ii) communication and citizenship and iii) local development. KAIROS supports a program in social development and local power that aims to strengthen the participation of civil society in local and regional social and political development through training, organization and networking. CEE works through regional training centres located in different parts of Mexico. In 2004 CEE developed three modules for the three existing training centres and opened three new training centres, providing training to a total of 600 communities leaders.
CEE plays an active role in networks at a national, Mesoamerican level. Nationally, they are members of RMALC. They played a key role in forming a national network on the economy of solidarity and organization a national symposium on the economy of solidarity in June 2004. CEE is involved in the Mesoamerican process which is resisting Plan Puebla Panama and searching for alternatives. At a hemispheric level CEE is involved in the Grito de los Excluidos Campaign, a continentala campaign initiated in Brazil which focuses on social exclusion and poverty.
CEE is the Mexico coordinator of the churches tri-national (Canada-US-Mexico) process on globalization and just trade and acts as a liaison with Mexican churches.
Dora Davilla, former Director Centre of Ecumenical Studies (CEE) and
participant in tri-national Churches Consultation on Globalization, in Cuidad Juarez, her home town. Photo: Rachel Warden/ KAIROS
CENCOS: Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social AC
CENCOS was founded in 1964 at the time of Vatican II as the official organ of communication of the Mexican Catholic church. It has since become an independent organization but continues to work with grassroots church and communities in alternative communication from the perspective of the right of all to have voice. CENCOS works in four areas: human rights, diversity, democracy and sustainable development. Within these themes it aims to: i) use communication to contribute to the struggle for democracy, justice, equality and dignity particularly by bringing forward the voices and proposals of the most excluded and marginalized; ii) strengthen the option of the poor based on the perspective of macro-ecumenism; iii) strengthen the capacity of grassroots and lay Christian groups to use communication in the area of social justice, iv) create models of economic literacy for groups and individuals. CENCOS sees its role as maintaining its autonomy while a) providing a service in the area of communication to other NGOs networks and social movements; b) denouncing injustices and human rights violations; c) looking for opportunities for dialogue and collaboration with the church and the government which will lead to constitutional and canonical reform based on the rights of the poor.
CIEPAC (Centro de Investigacion Economicas y Politicas de Accion Comunitaria)
Chiapas, Mexico
www.ciepac.org
CIEPAC is an NGO, founded in 1998, which focuses on education, training and accompaniment of social processes at a state, national and international level where the aim is to construct just, inclusive and democratic models of development. CIEPAC’s research, analysis and action is based on its work with local communities in Chiapas. It publishes an excellent bi-monthly bulletin on conjunctural analysis which can found on its website.http://www.ciepac.org CIEPAC’s program focuses on human rights in four strategic areas: i) right to information, ii) right to education, iii) economic, political and social rights and iv) the right to organize (networking). CIEPAC is a member of the coordinating committee of COMPA (Convergence of Organizations and Movements of Peoples of the Americas). www.compasite.org.
A focus of CIEPAC’s work is to increase the capacity of local communities to understand and respond to the impact of social and economic policies on the communities, providing them with tools to strengthen their analysis and organization and to build alternatives. CIEPAC’s workshops and educational programs cover 50% of the municipalities in Chiapas, representing 90% of the municipalities with majority indigenous population. In 2004 CIEPAC elaborated 9 educational materials of the WTO, FTAA, International Financial Institutions and Indigenous rights which were distributed and used in 200 communities (5,000 people) as tools to strengthen analysis and organization related to current economic, political and social policy and the local impact.
CIEPAC popular education resource on the FTAA – Another World is possible
In its policy and advocacy work CIEPAC focuses on linking the local experience and analysis with the national and international analysis through their work in various networks. At the same time they work to bring an understanding of the national and international context to the local communities. As they note here, “If campesinos are not getting a price for their coffee, our job is to make sure that they understand why. At the same time we need to maintain hope in the communities by talking about alternatives”. They describe themselves as the bridge between the local and the international. CIEPAC states that their point of reference is the community in all their work: “The community experience needs to lead our work. However, globalization has created an individualism disintegrating social fabric and weakening communities. Part of our work needs to be to strengthen these communities as protagonists”.
In May 2004, CIEPAC mobilized 50 people from the communities in Chiapas to participate in the social summit at meeting of European Union and Latin America leaders in Guadalajara, increasing links between international policy and advocacy on macro-economic policies and the local communities who feel the impact of these policies.
Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Centre (Centro Prodh) is an historic human rights partner of KAIROS. It was founded in 1988 by the Jesuits in Mexico as an institution dedicated to the promotion and defence of human rights. It has four programs of work: integral defence, educational processes, monitoring, and public policy; and four work areas: communication, information centre, international relations, and organisational development. The Centre Prodh has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
The Centre Prodh works with groups throughout Mexico to consolidate human rights protection. Since its founding, it has given effective support and solidarity to groups and persons who have suffered injustice, poverty, and marginalisation.
Movement for Peace, Justice and Dignity (MPJD)
Mexico City - National program
The Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity- Centre for the Promotion of Peace (MPJD) is a civil organization which has been accompanying the indigenous movement in Mexico since 1994. It works in 4 areas: i) education and training of indigenous communities and civil organizations, ii) youth training, iii) communication and networking, and iv) inter-religious and ecumenical initiatives. KAIROS supports the program, Strengthening Indigenous Communities/ Indigenous Promoters for Peace, which provides training and education materials to indigenous human rights defenders to strengthen their capacity to defend the rights and dignity of their peoples.
In 2004, at least 90 Indigenous promoters were trained in the use of legal instruments to defend their communities. MPJD has focused on participation in networks and in particular accompanying the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and the promotion of a forum on the denunciation of violations of Indigenous rights in Mexico.
Carmen Montes, director of MPJD, facilitates workshop on Indigenous identity in Pueblo Nuevo. Photo: Rachel Warden/ KAIROS
The focus of MPJD programs is education and advocacy around issues of the peace process with the Indigenous peoples and Indigenous rights. At a local level this is accomplished through training and education programs intended to increase the capacity of indigenous communities to advocate for their rights as well as programs to increase the capacity of other civil society organizations and networks to advocate around issues of Indigenous rights. At a regional and national level, MPJD is an active member in church, human rights, peace and Indigenous networks.
RMALC - the Mexican Network on Free Trade is a KAIROS Economic Justice partner. RMALC is a Network comprised of distinct social sectors and analysts. In the face of globalization, RMALC provides a space for these different actors and activists to come together, reflect, strategize and propose alternatives to the dominant paradigm of trade liberalization. RMALC works at the national level, regional level and international level. Much of the work centres around monitoring and resisting Plan Puebla Panama, NAFTA, the FTAA and the WTO.
National Network for Human Rights Organizations “ ALL RIGHTS FOR ALL”
Todos los Derechos para Todos
The National Network for Human Rights Organizations “All rights for All” is a coalition of 55 civil human rights organizations from 20 states in Mexico which come together to coordinate and combine strength, capacity and resources in order to be more effective in the promotion of human rights for all.
Member organizations of the Network:
- Believe that the struggle for human rights is integral
- Work in the defense, promotion and formation of human rights
- Are pluralistic, non partisan and non government organizations
The objectives of the Network are:
- To strengthen exchange, inter-relations and support between human rights organizations
- To struggle in a integrated way for the defense of human rights
- Contribute to the creation of a culture of human rights
Increase national and international awareness of the human rights situation in Mexico
