PBI-Mexico accompanies CodigoDH on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

On November 26, the Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project posted, “PBI accompanies the members of the office of @CodigoDH in San Pedro Amuzgos during the day against violence against women.”

CodigoDH tweeted the photo above noting, “After having suffered two negligent doctors, Amelia Hernández raises her voice to prevent other women from San Pedro Amuzgos suffering from the deficiencies that the public health system presents in this area of Oaxaca.”

CodigoDH further explains, “Amelia Hernández Merino, a 31-year-old indigenous woman from the ‘La Guadalupe Amuzgos’ community, reported that during the 35th week of pregnancy, she went to a prenatal follow-up review in the city of Jamiltepec, Oaxaca, and presenting symptoms of preeclampsia was urgently transferred to the General Hospital of San Pedro Pochutla, where she had an emergency caesarean section in which, in addition to performing a definitive contraception procedure without her informed consent and under pressure from the medical emergency, she was left with a cotton pad or towel lodged in her belly as a result of a bad practice of the health personnel on the day of the caesarean section that caused a severe infection that was about to cost her life, and the loss of 90 centimeters of intestine.”

“As a result of medical negligence, Amelia and her husband had to go urgently to a private health service and to meet the expenses caused by the Hospital de Pochutla they had to sell their house and file a criminal complaint DDHPO / 049 / RC / (11) / OAX / 2019 in the Human Rights Ombudsman of Oaxaca.”

“Eleven months after having suffered both medical negligence, Hernández Merino shared her experience to make her case visible and prevent other women from San Pedro Amuzgos from suffering the severe deficiencies that the public health system presents in this highly marginalized area of ​​the state of Oaxaca.”

PBI-Mexico has previously noted, “Código-DH is a civil-society organization created for the holistic defence of human rights in the state of Oaxaca. It works primarily in the Valles Centrales, the Sierra Sur and the Isthmus of Tehuántepec regions.”

“In February 2011, the organization opened an office in San Pedro Amuzgos, in the Sierra Sur region, aiming to promote respect for human rights in this area of Oaxaca state. This office focuses on providing education, legal assistance, consciousness raising and capacity building for local authorities, and training local human rights promoters. It works particularly with Amuzgo women who have experienced gender-based violence.”

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The United Nations highlights, “Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.”

PBI-Mexico has accompanied CodigoDH (the Committee of Integral Defence of Human Rights Gobixha A.C.) since its formation in 2011.