Second part of interview with Martha Figueroa, a lawyer from the women's rights group, Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristóbal in Chiapas, Mexico. Figueroa discusses
the Mexican judicial system and how it deals with crimes against women and indigenous communities. In the case of the Acteal massacre, Figueroa says that women's testimonies were not taken
seriously, and that survivors were treated only as witnesses rather than victims. She states that government and police were aware of the massacre but did not intervene,
thus perpetrating the genocide of the indigenous population. She calls on international organizations like the ICC to respond effectively, and to recognize gender based crimes . She says that
the common denominator in the cases of violence against women in Chiapas is lack of access to justice. She then speaks specifically about the case of Sara Santiz, an
indigenous woman who was unknowingly sterilized against her will during a hospital visit.
[Interview with Martha Figueroa, part 2 / Interview with Guadalupe Cardenas]
Abstract:
Second part of interview with Martha Figueroa, a lawyer from the women's rights group, Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristóbal in Chiapas, Mexico. Figueroa discusses the Mexican judicial system and how it deals with crimes against women and indigenous communities. In the case of the Acteal massacre, Figueroa says that women's testimonies were not taken seriously, and that survivors were treated only as witnesses rather than victims. She states that government and police were aware of the massacre but did not intervene, thus perpetrating the genocide of the indigenous population. She calls on international organizations like the ICC to respond effectively, and to recognize gender based crimes . She says that the common denominator in the cases of violence against women in Chiapas is lack of access to justice. She then speaks specifically about the case of Sara Santiz, an indigenous woman who was unknowingly sterilized against her will during a hospital visit. B-roll of Martha Figueroa in the office follows. Video cuts to an interview with Guadalupe Cárdenas, coordinator of the Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristóbal, set in a restaurant (not logged or translated).
Sequence:
1 of 2
Creators:
WITNESSRole: Creator
Women's Caucus for Gender JusticeRole: Creator
Publisher:
WITNESS; Women's Caucus for Gender Justice; University of Texas Libraries
Date Created:
2000/08
Topics:
armed conflict and persecution--sexual violence
civil and political rights--reproductive justice
armed conflict and persecution--paramilitaries
civil and political rights--children's rights
armed conflict and persecution--mass killings
economic, social, and cultural rights--health and healthcare
civil and political rights--women's rights
Named Entities:
Martha Figueroa
Guadalupe Cárdenas
Languages:
spa
Geographic Focuses:
North and Central America--Mexico--Chiapas--Acteal
North and Central America--Mexico--Chiapas--San Cristobal de las Casas
North and Central America--United States--New York--New York
Geographic Base:
North and Central America--United States--New York--Brooklyn
Type of Resource:
Moving image
Genre:
Unedited
Notes:
The Women's Caucus was formed in February 1997, to intervene in the ongoing Preparatory Committee meetings for the establishment of an International Criminal Court at the United Nations. Women realized that without an organized caucus, women's concerns would not be actively defended in the documents and process of creation of an International Criminal Court. The legal issues in the ICC are complex and sensitive. They require people from different legal systems and cultures to arrive at a consensus on specific issues that may challenge local traditions or beliefs. The gender-related issues are particularly sensitive, as they are not as well understood. Gender-related crimes are often perceived to be private or individual crimes that do not rise to the level of international human rights law, or that are perceived to be taken care of by a "neutral" statute. However, the experience of women has been that neutrality usually results in leaving out crimes against women and the ways that women, because of their socially constructed roles in society, are disproportionately affected. It was these concerns that the Women's Caucus sought to address in the process of creation of an International Criminal Court. By advocating the codification of crimes of sexual, reproductive and gender violence, and inclusion of gender sensitive processes and criteria for personnel, the Caucus tried to ensure that the Court has capacity to implement justice for women.
Identifier:
B01435-0_00_08_05
Rights:
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