From 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender...Show moreFrom 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender reasons, for being women. Due to the lack of State responsibility, the killings were not investigated, perpetrators were not prosecuted or convicted, victims were blamed, and the access to justice was thus restricted. Therefore, feminicides are associated with a high level of impunity. In order to address the high feminicide rate and the issue of impunity accordingly, the Mexican State implemented gender-based violence legislation that includes the act of feminicide as its most extreme form. Moreover, feminicides have been classified as an official crime in the Federal Criminal Code and in the Criminal Code of the State of Chihuahua. Hence, this thesis aims to examine the feminicides of Ciudad Juárez and the impact of the changes in legislation in relation to the issue of impunity, in order to establish what this reveals about how impunity can be addressed effectively.Show less
Although media attention has drastically decreased, feminicides are still a major problem in the Mexican city Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It is widely accepted that the misogynistic killings started...Show moreAlthough media attention has drastically decreased, feminicides are still a major problem in the Mexican city Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It is widely accepted that the misogynistic killings started in 1993, one year before the North American Free Trade Agreement entered into force, but still no consensus on the number of victims is reached and many cases remain unsolved. This thesis examines the role of grassroots activism in pressuring the Mexican government to take responsibility, recognize the crimes, and implement solutions to the feminicides occurring in the Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez. An understanding of the causes and contributing factors is crucial to determine the role and responsibility of the government. By applying social movement theory and framing theory to the social movement Ni Una Más and various small-scale grassroots organizations, the effects of grassroots activism on the government’s attitude and policies regarding feminicide and gender-based violence have been investigated in this thesis. Even though feminicides are still regularly occurring nowadays, and the Mexican authorities thus ultimately failed to eradicate the problem, social movements and grassroots activism have proven to play a decisive role in raising national and international awareness, pressuring the government to take effective measures to solve the problem, and striving for justice and security for the women of Ciudad Juárez.Show less
