Mexico has become one of the most violent countries in the world for women.

Why we care: Violence against women in Mexico is at an all-time high and women’s organizations seeking justice are targets of violence.

How we are solving this: Bringing together 20 women leaders for a three-day assembly to develop an action plan to demand women’s security and rights.

Plagued by femicides, disappearances, kidnappings, mutilations and murders, women across Mexico are disproportionately affected by violence. Thousands of families are searching for “disappeared” relatives and thousands of children have been orphaned. In the State of Chihuahua, one woman is killed every 20 hours.

Women’s movements in Latin America and the Caribbean have made great strides to prevent violence against women. However, religious and political conservatism are threatening many of those gains and Mexico is no exception.

The World March of Women’s National Assembly will be a three-day meeting to re-energize Mexico’s feminist movement. This assembly–being organized by WMW member organization Colectiva Feminista Mercedes Olivera y Bustamante–will enable 20 women leaders and activists from Mexico to create a common political agenda, action plan, and elect new members to the Assembly.

The Assembly will be a space to create a strategic, coordinated, collaborative, feminist political agenda to amplify women’s demands to end violence and bring justice and rights to all women. The Assembly will foster heightened coordination between local and national women’s organizations so they are better able to pressure the government to implement laws and policies that benefit all women and girls throughout Mexico.