CNDH denies blocking ‘Operativo Mochila Segura’ school inspections

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has denied claims that it has blocked or prohibited the ‘Operativo Mochila Segura’ (Safe Backpack Operation) in schools. The organization issued a statement responding to assertions, including those from Querétaro Secretary of Education Martha Elena Soto Obregón, suggesting that CNDH recommendations were preventing the implementation of these security measures.

The CNDH clarified that Recommendation 48/2019, directed at the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), does not forbid the operation. Instead, it mandates that such measures must be conducted with a human rights approach, prioritizing the best interests of children and adolescents. The recommendation requires evaluating the appropriateness of the operation through the National System for the Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA).

Under current guidelines established in the ‘Safe School Environments’ document, backpack and bag inspections may be conducted voluntarily with the participation of parents or guardians alongside school authorities. Each school is encouraged to form a Vigilance Committee to determine the timing, location, and method of these reviews to ensure student privacy and prevent unauthorized exposure of personal belongings.