Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu led today’s award ceremony for the “Migrant woman, tell me your story” contest, emphasizing that addressing the issue of migration is a priority for the federal government and that it deserves the attention of all sectors of society.
"President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration is committed to changing this reality. It is up to us to make it possible for every woman facing a situation of violence, a desperate situation or an abusive situation, to find an answer, assistance, paths to empowerment, a way forward and, above all, to find justice,” she said.
Foreign Secretary Ruiz Massieu said that to transform the reality of migrant women, the participation of all sectors is required. “This is not achieved solely through the work of an institution, or through the work of the government or of any one government by itself. It is achieved through everyone’s work, through a common vision and with the joint commitment of all federal institutions and agencies as a whole and in cooperation with state and municipal governments. Above all, it is achieved by working with the private sector, with civil society,” she explained.
She stressed that, through its network of embassies and consulates around the world, the Foreign Ministry provides various services. She cited as an example the 90,000 birth certificates that have been issued to Mexicans abroad, who did not have to travel to Mexico to get the certificate in their hometown.
The "Migrant woman, tell me your story" contest asked Mexican women who live or have lived abroad, internal migrants and foreigners who live in Mexico to tell their story about migration in writing or in a video.
The winners were: Juana Ruiz Díaz, first place in the essay category; Brenda Karina Bautista Arce, second place for an essay; Carmen Carrera Martínez, first place for a video; Amalia Manuel Pedro, second place for a video; and Flor Karina Reyes Rodríguez, third place in the video category.
Honorable mention went to Ariadna del Carmen Sánchez Reséndiz, Crystal Solís Rodríguez, María del Rosario Ochoa Sánchez and Civilina Isabel Aguilar Hernández.
During the ceremony, Foreign Secretary Ruiz Massieu gave one of the winners, Amalia Manuel Pedro, the identity and travel document she had requested under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons.
Lorena Cruz Sánchez, President of the National Women's Institute, said that this contest gave Mexican women abroad and foreign women in Mexico the chance to describe their experiences with migration, acculturation, adaptation and integration into the target communities and their reintegration into their hometowns.
She noted that there were 345 entries submitted by women who live in 46 countries on five continents and that daily life, transportation problems and the lack of suitable living conditions were some of the themes of the entries, along with many success stories.
The ceremony was attended by Humberto Roque Villanueva, Undersecretary for Population, Migration and Religious Affairs of the Interior Ministry; and Ernesto Nemer Álvarez, Undersecretary of Social and Human Development of the Social Development Ministry; and representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, among other guests.
