Mexico President proposes General Law to Combat Femicide

The President of Mexico presented an initiative before the Senate to create a General Law to Prevent, Investigate, Sanction and Repair the harm caused by femicide. The bill must first be approved by the Senate, then by the Chamber of Deputies, before being published and entering force nationwide.

If enacted, the law will require amendments to the Federal Penal Code and the penal codes of all 32 Mexican states, aiming to harmonize the definition and penalties for femicide across the country. Femicide, the gender‑based killing of women, has been recognized in Mexican legislation since 2007, but varying state definitions have created legal challenges. Advocates note that an estimated ten women die each day from gender‑based violence, highlighting the urgency of a unified legal framework.

The proposal follows earlier attempts to strengthen the crime’s treatment, including past reforms and opposition from former prosecutor‑general Gertz Manero, who sought to downgrade the offense to an aggravating circumstance of homicide. The new initiative seeks to address impunity and improve investigative and prosecutorial tools at both federal and state levels.