UN human rights chief to visit Mexico, 3-9 July 2011

GENEVA (30 June 2011) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will on Sunday begin an official visit to Mexico to discuss rights issues with the Government, lawmakers and the Ombudsman at federal and local level, as well as with non-governmental organisations and the judiciary. The mission will begin in Oaxaca on 3 July 2011 and end on Saturday 9 July in Mexico City.

During her high-level visit, Pillay is scheduled to meet President Felipe Calderón, and a number of senior ministers, including the Minister of Interior, the Supreme Court, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Public Security, as well as the President of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General, in addition to the Oaxaca Governor and state legislators, and Mexico City authorities.

High Commissioner Pillay, who is visiting the country at the invitation of the Mexican Government, plans to discuss a wide range of issues with the authorities and civil society actors and human rights defenders. These issues include security, migrant rights, discrimination, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and freedom of expression.

On Wednesday 6 July, Pillay will launch a Human Rights Defenders’ Campaign “Declare yourself defender,” designed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico, to spread the message on the right to defend human rights among the general public.

A press conference will be held on Friday 8 July 2011 at 16:00, at the Museum of “Memory and Tolerance” in Mexico City.

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Mexico City:
Rosa Gutiérrez : +52 55 5061 6374 / rgutierrez@ohchr.org
Xabier Celaya : +41 79 444 7578 / xcelaya@ohchr.org
In Geneva:
Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9310 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org

Learn more about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HighCommissioner.aspx

OHCHR in Mexico: http://www.hchr.org.mx/

Human rights in Mexico: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/LACRegion/Pages/MXIndex.aspx

UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
http://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights
https://twitter.com/unrightswire