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In a historic session, the Plenary Session of the Senate of the Republic has given the green light to a crucial reform to article 2 of the Constitution, which prohibits child marriages in indigenous communities in Mexico.
The constitutional amendment guarantees the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and autonomy to apply their regulatory systems.
However, it is established that this must be done in line with the best interests of children and adolescents, prohibiting any practice that goes against their rights.
The senators recognize that girls and adolescents who live in indigenous communities are more vulnerable to suffering violations of their rights, such as forced marriages, due to the prevalence of practices and customs in these regions.
The president of the Second Legislative Studies Commission, Rafael Espino de la Peña, highlighted that forced child marriages are mainly driven by gender norms that limit the sexual and reproductive rights of girls and adolescents.
For her part, Senator Lilia Margarita Valdez Martínez, from Morena, expressed her confidence that all parliamentary groups will support this reform, since it is unacceptable that girls of 13 or 14 years old are married to men over 35 years old. She highlighted the commitment of her group to the boys and girls of Mexico.
Senator Josefina Vázquez Mota, of the PAN, pointed out that Mexico occupies one of the first places in the world in forced child marriages. She highlighted the need to recognize girls, boys and adolescents as subjects of law to combat this problem.
Along the same lines, Senator Gabriela Benavides Cobos of the PVEM emphasized that this reform strengthens the progress made in the Senate in recent legislatures and puts an end to child abuse and forced marriages in the country.
With this decision, the Senate of the Republic demonstrates its commitment to the protection of children's rights and respect for the autonomy of indigenous communities, setting an important precedent in the fight against child marriages in Mexico.
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