Laura Itzel takes charge of Women’s Secretariat as Mexico records 380 femicides in 2026, NGO warns

Laura Itzel Castillo begins her tenure at Mexico’s Women’s Secretariat under pressure from a stark pattern of violence and inequality. Unión Mujer says seven in 10 Mexican women aged 15 and older have experienced some form of violence, while official security figures recorded 380 femicide victims in the first seven months of 2026.

The organization said Castillo’s challenge is to move beyond political positions and legislative reforms toward public policy that prevents violence, strengthens services for victims, guarantees access to justice and produces concrete results.

The appointment comes after the Secretariat spent several months without a formal head following Citlalli Hernández’s departure for new responsibilities within Morena. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Castillo’s appointment on June 15, with her arrival scheduled after Castillo completed her duties as president of the Senate.

Unión Mujer recognized Castillo’s extensive political and public-administration experience, but said she must show that it can translate into strategic and effective leadership. The organization urged her to build a team with expertise in substantive equality, women’s human rights, violence prevention and response, economic autonomy, care, access to justice and policy evaluation.

It also called for a clear agenda with priorities, objectives and indicators to measure progress and assess the real impact of government policies. Civil society groups, academics and specialists, it said, should participate in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the Secretariat’s work.