Location: Chiapas

Situation:
Mexico’s economic growth in the last ten years has not reduced the inequalities or social exclusion which drives a large number of Mexicans to choose clandestine emigration to the United States. They are forced to cross the border in unsure or high-risk situations, particularly at Tijuana and Mexicali. With this background, the marginalisation of indigenous populations in southern Mexico also remains a problem.

Activities:
Doctors of the World has helped improve access to health care for indigenous communities which are experiencing poor living conditions and are isolated because of their political resistance against the government and for migrant populations in the southern State of Chiapas, where the focus of migration flows.

We have supported the indigenous Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Chol and Tojolabal to help advance and empower their health system. We have conducted training with local health officials to better manage their health problems.

We have trained 147 trainers and 1209 health promoters. We have also organised 72 workshops on the health system and the right to health.

We also work to promote the access to sexual and reproductive health for female migrants, sex workers and domestic workers. This project aims to improve access to health care and education in sexual and reproductive health of female sex workers and domestic workers in the Tapachula and Huixtla regions of Chiapas.

We plan to conduct training workshops to raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health and their awareness of their rights to have access to the Mexican health system, conduct outreach and advocacy on violence against women with medical staff and local authorities, and finally make it possible, in case of violence, medical care and proper legal guidance.

Outlook:
The duration of activities initiated by Doctors of the World has allowed consolidation of a right to health with project ownership by local stakeholders and beneficiaries. A new project has started in the same state with the aim of promoting the right to health of female migrant sex workers and domestic workers.