Mexico's Secretariat of Women forms expert group for digital rights guide

Mexico's Secretariat of Women has launched an expert council tasked with developing a comprehensive guide to digital rights. This initiative aims to combat virtual violence and provide tools to address online aggressions against women. The council will bring together specialists from various sectors, including government, international organizations like UN Women and UNICEF Mexico, academic institutions, civil society groups such as Defensoras Digitales and Colectiva Luchadoras, and prominent activists like Olimpia Coral Melo, known for the "Ley Olimpia."

The federal agency, which has been without a permanent head since April, stated that this action is part of a voluntary collaboration agreement signed earlier this year between the government and major tech platforms including Meta, Google, TikTok, and YouTube. The resulting instrument will establish digital rights for women and outline strategies for handling online attacks.

Ingrid Gómez Saracibar, undersecretary for the Right to a Life Free from Violence, emphasized that mental health support will be a central theme in the document's creation. "We recognize that the real world is unequal, just as the virtual world is, and speaking from a woman's perspective means speaking about the discrimination faced when navigating virtuality," she stated.

Patricia Carranza Rodríguez, director-general of Intelligence, Innovation, and Strategic Planning, explained that the expert group will operate under the principle of intersectionality, ensuring the guide addresses the specific needs of girls, adolescents, content creators, journalists, and women in diverse social circumstances. The first structured version of the document is expected to be presented on November 25.