The funding was announced during a press conference in Mexico City, where EU Ambassador to Mexico Francisco Andre said the projects will be carried out alongside Mexican authorities and civil society groups. The stated goal is to strengthen Mexico’s security and justice institutions, particularly in preventing and responding to crimes against women and girls.
“These are five new projects that will be implemented with highly reputable organizations in this country,” Andre said.
According to EU officials, the initiatives will focus on political advocacy, new technologies, prevention networks, and victim support. The programs are expected to expand access to justice for victims of sexual violence, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation, while also promoting empowerment rather than framing women solely as victims.
The announcement lines up with a visit to Mexico by Kajsa Ollongren, the European Union’s special representative for human rights. Ollongren reiterated the bloc’s long-term commitment to gender equality efforts in the country, while acknowledging the scale of the violence porblem.
“It is good that the world recognizes Mexico as a place where equality is being taken seriously,” Ollongren said. “We have seen that violence against women has been a major problem, and this is related in some areas to war, but also to organized crime. We must not see women and girls as victims, but as people, and we want them to be empowered.”
During her visit, Ollongren met with Zacatecas Governor David Monreal Avila to discuss the state’s forensic identification program, which is tied to efforts to address missing persons cases.
“I met with the authorities, the governor, and the attorney general, and we discussed how they are trying to make better use of the system to improve policies and work on missing persons,” she said. “Identifying people and determining the cause of death is paramount.”
Andre also highlighted EU-backed work already underway in states including Coahuila and Durango, where the bloc has provided forensic and technical assistance to support search-and-rescue operations.
Since 2004, the European Union has financed 70 Mexican civil society organizations, investing a total of 32 million euros, or about $37.6 million USD, in human rights initiatives across the country. Andre said expanding that cooperation remains a priority, even as the work remains slow, complex, and politically demanding.
