GENEVA – Women searching for disappeared persons continue to face deadly violence in Mexico and are often themselves subjected to enforced disappearance, UN experts* warned today, calling on the State of Mexico to fulfill its international obligations to protect human rights defenders.
“While international efforts have been successful to recognise and honour women searching for disappeared persons, in Mexico they continue to face alarming levels of violence that, in some cases, lead to their own disappearance or murder,” the experts said.
Recent attacks in Sinaloa underscore the grave risks faced by women searching for disappeared persons. Within a span of 72 hours, on 29 August 2026, human rights defender and advocate for disappeared persons, Elisa Altagracia Bonilla was reported disappeared. Alma Rosa Rojo Medina, founder of the collective Voces Unidas por la Vida, was attacked the same day alongside her daughter and two minors. On 1 September, members of the collective Corazones Unidos por una Misma Causa were targeted when a vehicle struck them during a peaceful demonstration in Mazatlán. The collective has been repeatedly targeted: In 2026, its member Rubí Gómez-Tagle was murdered while María de los Ángeles Valenzuela disappeared in October 2025.
“The work of these women constitutes a fundamental extension of their rights, the right to truth, justice and reparations. While it is of paramount importance to ensure their safe participation in efforts to search for disappeared persons, and in investigations, it must be remembered that they are carrying out a task that is primarily the State’s responsibility. The State must fully assume this responsibility and not shift the burden onto the families. Attacking them perpetuates the cycle of pain and impunity,” the experts said.
The violence occurs in a context of near-total impunity, creating an environment that emboldens perpetrators.
“This is a tragic example of the State’s failure to fulfil its obligations to protect human rights defenders,” the experts said.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has established that States have a heightened duty to protect human rights defenders. With specific reference to Mexico, the Court has noted that women who fight against impunity constitute one of the groups at greatest risk and that acts of harassment and gender-based violence against them are on the rise.
“Violence against women human rights defenders often has gender-specific characteristics and seeks to punish them for challenging traditional roles and occupying the public sphere. The State must act with due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish and provide redress for this violence,” the experts said.
Against this backdrop, the experts welcome the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution designating 19 December as the International Day in Recognition of Women Searchers for Disappeared Persons.
“We commend the decision of the international community to formally recognise the strength, voices, agency and leadership of women dedicated to the search for disappeared persons,” the experts said.
The experts urged Mexico to publicly recognise the importance of the work carried out by women human rights defenders who fight against disappearances and ensure full compliance with its international obligations regarding the protection of human rights defenders.
They recall the General Comment on women affected by enforced disappearances, which states that States must acknowledge disappeared women, and recognise the particular types of harm they suffer based on their gender, including instances of sexual violence and forced impregnation, and the resulting psychological damage and social stigma as well as the disruption of family structures.
The experts have previously written to the Government of Mexico about their concerns, including in a letter in April 2026 regarding the killing of Rubí Gómez-Tagle to which the Government replied.
