Mexico

Mexico does not have a unified standing National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up.

However, it has established permanent thematic mechanisms that perform substantive functions in the areas of follow-up on international recommendations, inter-institutional coordination, and reporting to treaty bodies and mechanisms of the universal and inter-American human rights system.

Mexico does not have a unified standing National mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow-up.

However, it has established permanent thematic mechanisms that have proven to be effective to enable technical and political coordination between agencies of the executive branch, the judiciary, the legislature, autonomous bodies, academia, international organizations, and civil society.

Committee for Follow-up on the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee)

The CEDAW Commission was created by Agreement 23:16/11/2018 of the National System for Equality between Women and Men, approved on November 16, 2018. The agreement establishes its permanent nature and its function of promoting attention to and monitoring progress in compliance with the observations of the CEDAW Committee, in accordance with Article 8 of the Rules for the Organization and Functioning of the National System for Equality between Women and Men.

This mechanism specifically monitors the recommendations issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2018, the supervisory body of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It is chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Ministry of Women. Its objectives are: • To coordinate the implementation of the recommendations issued by the Committee following periodic reports. • To prepare and validate the content of periodic national reports and interim reports. • To promote regulatory harmonization and mainstreaming of the gender perspective in public policies.
More than 50 Mexican state institutions from the three branches of government participate in this mechanism. It is structured into seven thematic working groups and two sub-working groups, and prioritizes follow-up on recommendations considered urgent or high priority by the Committee. The six thematic working groups address the following issues: access to and administration of justice; gender-based violence against women; sexual and reproductive health; equality in the workplace; education and attention to structural problems; and economic empowerment.

Commission for Follow-up on the Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (COMRECO)

The Commission for the Follow-up of the Recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child was established by Agreement 4/2015 of the National System for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents, published on December 2, 2015. This agreement formalizes the creation of COMRECO as a specific mechanism for following up on the recommendations issued by the Committee. The agreement can be consulted here.

This commission is mandated to coordinate the implementation and follow-up of the recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the supervisory body of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its optional protocols.

COMRECO coordinates the preparation of the combined periodic reports submitted by the Mexican State to the Committee and promotes the participation of more than 40 public sector institutions, including agencies of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, autonomous bodies, and state representatives of the National System for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA). It also actively involves civil society organizations and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Inter-institutional Working Group for the Follow-up of the CERD Committee’s Recommendations (WG-CERD)

Following the submission, in 2012, of Mexico’s reports on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the creation of an inter-institutional working group was promoted with the aim of pooling efforts and designing common strategies across different levels of government. Its main purpose is to ensure Mexico’s compliance with its obligations before the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The group operates through regular meetings in which specific actions are agreed upon to address the Committee’s observations, particularly regarding the preparation and submission of reports.

The WG-CERD is composed of representatives from more than 50 institutions across different branches and levels of government, as well as from several states of the Republic.

The establishment of this group has enabled various government agencies and institutions to identify and assume their responsibilities, in line with their mandates, in guaranteeing the right to non-discrimination, especially racial discrimination. It has also created a space for interaction that facilitates the development of a common agenda focused on fulfilling the provisions of the Convention, through coordinated actions and constant communication. Moreover, it has helped identify the most pressing challenges in combating racial discrimination in the country and has served as a platform to train and inform public officials on Mexico’s obligations under the Convention.

National System for Evaluating the Level of Compliance with Human Rights (SNEDH)

The SNEDH was developed in compliance with Objective 6 of the National Human Rights Program (2014-2018), which mandated the creation of a system of indicators to evaluate the enjoyment and exercise of human rights. The SNEDH digital platform was jointly promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Ministry of Interior (SEGOB), the National Digital Strategy Coordination, the UNAM University Human Rights Program, and the Enfoque DH project, with the participation of more than 80 public institutions. Although it was not created by decree or legislation, its origin derives from an express political mandate contained in a national public policy instrument.

The SNEDH is a tool developed by the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) in collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to monitor compliance with economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR) in accordance with the indicators of the Protocol of San Salvador, an additional instrument to the American Convention on Human Rights.

These indicators use two concurrent methodologies validated by both the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Organization of American States (OAS). Thus, the SNEDH platform is a useful tool for the design, monitoring, and evaluation of public policies in the field of human rights. Its main objective is to collect, analyze, and systematize progressive indicators that allow for the technical and objective evaluation of the fulfillment of ESCR in Mexico. The SNEDH is a digital platform in which 60 public entities of the Mexican State have participated.

SECRETARIAT Mexico has permanent coordinating bodies that act as technical secretariats or operational managers within existing thematic mechanisms. These bodies are responsible for coordinating the preparation of reports, responding to inquiries, and following up on the recommendations of international human rights mechanisms in the absence of a formally established national mechanism.

The CEDAW Commission is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Women. This Commission functions as an inter-institutional coordination mechanism, whose objective is to follow up on the observations issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) to Mexico. Its work is based on collaboration between more than 50 national institutions from the three branches of government, which participate in the integration of reports and the implementation of recommendations, under the leadership of the coordinating bodies.

COMRECO is headed by the Ministry of the Interior, through the Executive Secretariat of the National System for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA), in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its main function is to coordinate the work of the authorities involved in implementing and following up on the recommendations issued by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as the obligations of the State. Its main function is to coordinate the work of the authorities involved in implementing and following up on the recommendations issued by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Mexican State's obligations regarding the rights of children and adolescents.

The SNEDH is a platform developed jointly by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Digital Strategy Coordination Office of the Office of the President, and the University Human Rights Program of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). This tool allows for the monitoring, in a first stage, of the degree of compliance with economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights, in accordance with the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights, “Protocol of San Salvador.” Although it is not a secretariat in the strict sense, the responsible institutions act in a coordinated and permanent manner to feed, update, and operate the platform.

Institutional memory Both the Commission for Monitoring the Recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (COMRECO) and the National System for Evaluating the Level of Compliance with Human Rights (SNEDH) have mechanisms in place to preserve institutional knowledge and mitigate the effects of staff turnover.

In the case of COMRECO, a systematic archive of minutes, reports, and work programs is maintained and made publicly available through the SIPINNA portal. This documentation makes it easier for new members to access key information on progress and ongoing activities, promoting the operational continuity of the Commission. It can be consulted at the following link: https://www.gob.mx/sipinna/documentos/comision-seguimiento-de-las-recomendaciones-del-comite-de-los-derechos-del-nino-de-la-organizacion-de-las-naciones-unidas

For its part, SNEDH operates as a digital platform that integrates technical tools such as update calendars, data downloads, graphic visualization, and georeferencing. These features allow for a quick understanding of processes, which facilitates the incorporation of new work teams and strengthens evidence-based institutional management. The website can be accessed at the following link: https://snedh.segob.gob.mx/index.php

Similarly, the System for Monitoring and Addressing International Recommendations on Human Rights (SERIDH) was designed to systematize international recommendations addressed to the Mexican State and convert that information into a useful tool for decision-making, accountability, and the formulation of public policies with a human rights focus.

Its digital, structured, and inter-institutional nature makes it a sustainable tool that can be adapted to different political contexts and is even resilient to administrative changes. Its value as a historical repository prevents the loss of information and allows for the generation of useful statistics to measure the Mexican State's progress in fulfilling its international commitments over time. The SERIDH can be consulted at the following link: https://seridh.sre.gob.mx/publico

Mexico engages with all UN and regional human rights mechanisms. It is up to date on all its reports.

Process for the preparation of state reports

Although there is no standardized methodology for preparing and submitting reports, in all cases, the methodology followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) to coordinate the preparation of reports to treaty bodies and other international mechanisms has been as follows:

• Notification to the three branches of government of the dates for submission and presentation (where applicable) of the reports to be prepared;
• Consultations with interested parties requesting input for the preparation of the report, including updates on compliance with previous recommendations, if any;
• Review of the information or input received from the authorities, selection of the most relevant information in order to comply with the requirements of the report;
• Preparation and submission of a first draft for review by the parties;
• Receive comments, incorporate suggestions or requests for changes;
• Prepare and send a second draft for review by the parties;
• Incorporate a second round of comments;
• Prepare and send the final report;
• Prepare for the report defense process, when applicable.

COORDINATION

Currently, Mexico does not have a unified standing national mechanism. However, various **thematic mechanisms **for monitoring international recommendations addressed to the Mexican State are active and hold regular meetings in accordance with their respective mandates and areas of competence.

These meetings bring together federal and state authorities and the three branches of government responsible for complying with and following up on international recommendations, as well as for preparing reports for treaty bodies, special procedures, or periodic reviews.

Participating entities include bodies from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, such as: the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, the Federal Judiciary Council, various ministries (such as the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Health, Education, Welfare, National Defense, among others), as well as autonomous constitutional bodies, national commissions, institutes, and specialized mechanisms such as the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.

For example, within the framework of the Commission for Follow-up on the Observations of the CEDAW Committee, in 2024, inter-institutional meetings were held to prepare the Mexican State's 10th Report to the Committee, as well as the national report on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, in which more than 50 national institutions participated, led by the then Ministry of Women and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

In short, although there is no formally constituted NMIRF, Mexico operates under a functional scheme of coordinated thematic mechanisms, which meet periodically according to their respective monitoring processes: preparation of reports and briefings and follow-up on observations issued by treaty bodies, as appropriate. This ensures broad, multisectoral, and high-level technical participation in the fulfillment of international human rights commitments.

Channel of communication with the National Statistics Office

there is regular communication with the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), which operates as Mexico's National Statistics Office. Although there is no NMIRF, INEGI actively participates as an official provider of statistical information in the Mexican State's reporting processes to international and regional human rights mechanisms.

Whenever a process of preparing a report to treaty bodies is initiated or follow-up on recommendations made by United Nations special procedures is required, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), in its capacity as coordinator of these processes, sends specific requests to INEGI for official statistical data that meet the requirements of the relevant international mechanism. These requests may refer to information disaggregated by sex, age, territory, or population group, among other criteria, depending on the nature of the report or recommendation to be addressed.

The information provided by INEGI is processed, validated, and integrated into the national reports prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), ensuring that they are based on technical standards and public, verifiable data. This inter-institutional coordination has strengthened the credibility, consistency, and technical soundness of the Mexican government's reports by incorporating data that facilitates the monitoring of progress in the fulfillment of international human rights obligations.

Channel of communication with the Parliament

Both chambers of the parliament participate in mechanisms like the CEDAW Commission, particularly in law harmonization and public policy implementation.

Channel of communication with the Judiciary

The Supreme Court and Federal Judiciary Council contribute technical inputs, regulatory measures, case law, and statistics; they participate in inter-institutional working groups and report validation.

For example, within the framework of the Commission for Follow-up on the Observations of the CEDAW Committee, in 2024, the 10th Report to the aforementioned treaty body and the report on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action were prepared. More than 50 national institutions from the three branches of government were involved in these reports, led by the then National Women's Institute—now the Secretariat for Women—and the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs.

In the case of COMRECO, its member institutions report information on an ongoing basis in order to provide up-to-date input for the preparation of reports for the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Once the report has been compiled, it is submitted to the institutions for their comments and/or validation.

Regarding tracking and implementation, coordination between the Federal Government and the Federal Judiciary is taking shape through the Human Rights Monitoring System of the FORTAJUS-DH project (SIMOJUDH) which assesses the compliance of the Federal Judiciary of Mexico with its international human rights obligations (see more under Follow-up and Implementation below).

Local and regional governments

The participation of local, regional, or federal authorities in mechanisms for monitoring international human rights recommendations varies depending on the thematic mechanism and the specific process of preparing or monitoring reports. Although there is no NMIRF that systematically integrates federal entities, they may be represented indirectly or on an ad hoc basis through established institutional channels.

In general, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the coordinating body for the process of preparing reports to treaty bodies and other international mechanisms, communicates primarily with federal (central) authorities. These authorities, in turn, are responsible for collecting and processing information from their counterparts at the state and municipal levels. In this way, contributions from the states are channeled through federal agencies that exercise the corresponding technical or sectoral oversight, such as the departments of Health, Education, and Welfare, among others.

However, there are examples in which state authorities have actively participated in specific processes to follow up on recommendations. One notable case is that of COMRECO, where the direct participation of federal entities in the preparation of Mexico's sixth and seventh combined reports to that Committee is documented. The contributions made by local entities can be consulted on the official SIPINNA website: https://www.gob.mx/sipinna/es/documentos/comision-seguimiento-de-las-recomendaciones-del-comite-de-los-derechos-del-nino-de-la-organizacion-de-las-naciones-unidas

CONSULTATION

Civil society, marginalized groups, NHRIs, and children/adolescents are consulted via thematic forums, workshops, and working groups.

Case studies

At the Second Ordinary Session of COMRECO in 2022, the participation of children and adolescents in this space as special guests was approved in order to hear their opinions on the status of the guarantee of their rights, and in particular on the specificities contemplated in the recommendations. In 2023, the Mechanism for the Participation of Children and Adolescents was established, with the participation of four adolescents representing children and adolescents in Mexico, marking the beginning of a process of accompanying children and adolescents in support of Mexico's Sixth and Seventh Combined Report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

For the UPR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established various working groups with the "EPU Mx Collective" which, according to its website, has the mission of ‘promoting the defense of human rights and advocating for the improvement of the human rights situation in the country’ through its participation in Mexico's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the UN Human Rights Council. This group urges the Mexican Government to follow up on the recommendations issued by the UPR. For further reference, please consult the following link: https://centroprodh.org.mx/colectivo-epu-mx-2024/

In May 2024, the “Forum with Civil Society Organizations in the framework of the presentation of the National Review on progress and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPA) and the 10th Periodic Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women” was held, with the participation of 32 civil society organizations. The report can be consulted online.

In the context of preparing and presenting national reports before the CERD, consultation forums are held with civil society organizations in order to gather their main concerns, identify progress made, and highlight areas of opportunity for Mexico in eliminating racial discrimination. In 2024, one such forum brought together civil society organizations as well as representatives of Indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities.

Tracking tools and databases

SERIDH

SERIDH is a digital platform developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) tracking 4,170+ recommendations since 1994. It links recommendations to Sustainable Development Goals and is accessible to public, civil society, and academia.

SNEDH

SNEDH monitors economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights using quantitative and qualitative indicators.

There are no formal Standard Operating Procedures for the above mentioned tools. However SNEDH and SERIDH have internally developed structured methodologies for data collection, validation, updating, and institutional coordination.

SIMOJUDH

The Human Rights Monitoring System of the FORTAJUS-DH project (SIMOJUDH) assesses the compliance of the Federal Judiciary of Mexico with its international human rights obligations, both in its judicial and administrative functions.

Its purpose is to determine whether the organs of the Federal Judiciary are fulfilling their specific obligations under International Human Rights Law (IHRL). Unlike other initiatives that only track human rights-related cases or verify compliance with international recommendations, this system adopts a broader approach. Its aim is to place recommendations within the framework of the obligations from which they arise, allowing for a deeper and more precise evaluation. Moreover, the information produced will be a key role while crafting decision-based public policies.

In its first stage, FORTAJUS-DH focuses on four rights, structured as prohibited conducts:

• the right of women to a life free from violence (prohibition of violence against women);
• the right not to be subjected to torture or other ill-treatment (prohibition of torture and ill-treatment);
• the right not to be forcibly disappeared (prohibition of enforced disappearance); and
• the right not to be subjected to human trafficking (prohibition of trafficking in persons).

Thanks to the efforts of FORTAJUS-DH, the Federal Government and the Federal Judiciary have strengthened their coordination on human rights matters, granting a central role to the information generated by the Judicial Human Rights Monitoring System (SIMOJUDH) in shaping the official positions of the Mexican State. Furthermore, the system has become a national benchmark, to the extent that mechanisms are currently being explored to incorporate its development into other institutions or even to replicate its model across other authorities in the country.

National Action Planning

Mexico has adopted a National Human Rights Program 2020–2024 (PNDH) which served as the guiding instrument for public policy during the previous administration. This program was designed to coordinate the actions of the Federal Public Administration (APF) in response to the human rights situation in the country, with an emphasis on addressing victims of serious violations, including historically discriminated groups, and strengthening institutional capacities.

The PNDH also incorporated international commitments, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and promoted the active participation of civil society, academia, and other key stakeholders.

With the start of the current administration, the National Development Plan 2024–2030 (PND) was published, incorporating a cross-cutting human rights approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Mexico’s international obligations. In particular, Objective 1.2 of the axis “Governance with Justice and Citizen Participation” sets out the promotion of a State policy aimed at guaranteeing human rights, fundamental freedoms, universal access to justice, and non-discrimination.

This new framework serves as a prelude to the design and publication of a new National Human Rights Program, based on targeted and transformative public policies.

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Directorate General for Human Rights and Democracy: dgdhumanos@sre.gob.mx • Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva: mexicounoge@sre.gob.mx