Protective institutions for a young male of 18 years of age who was abused by his father; steps an individual must take in order to obtain protection [MEX103358.E]

MEX103358.E 08 January 2010
Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

Recent information on recourse to protection for an 18 year old abused male was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

United States (US) and Mexico government sources corroborate that the National Network of Family Development Agencies [also known as the National System for the Comprehensive Development of the Family] (Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, DIF) is a government institution that, among other things, provides social assistance to vulnerable individuals (US n.d.; Mexico n.d.a). In particular, the DIF

is the principal government organization dealing with children; through 32 State DIFs, it attempts to build capacity at the local level through child protection programmes. DIF was established in the 1930s to care for abandoned children in cities. It develops national child protection policies, as well as intervention and rehabilitation strategies for child victims. (UN 28 Jan. 2008, para. 16)

Operating in 2,274 municipalities, DIF agencies provide, among other services, "free legal assistance to vulnerable adults and children in Mexico" (US n.d.). In particular, the DIF coordinates an Integral Assistance Program for Abandoned Children and Adolescents (Programa de Atencion Integral a Ninas, Ninos y Adolescentes en Desamparo) (Mexico n.d.b) and an Assistance Service for Abused Minors and Family Violence (Atencion a la Violencia Intrafamiliar y Maltrato al Menor) (Mexico n.d.c).

The DIF's Integral Assistance Program for Abandoned Children and Adolescents provides, among other things, services for girls, boys, and adolescents from 0 to 18 years of age that have been subject to mistreatment, abandonment, complete or partial orphan hood, sexual abuse, and domestic violence (Mexico n.d.b). The program's services include the provision of shelter, medical, psychological, pedagogical and dentistry services, as well as social, legal and food assistance (ibid.).

Moreover, under its legal assistance mandate, the DIF works in cooperation with the offices of the Attorney General for the Defence of Minors and the Family (Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia, PDMF) in order to address issues related to family law, such as the protection of abused minors (Mexico n.d.d). The PDMF is a specialized agency that offers free legal, psychological and social work services to vulnerable individuals (ibid.). PDMF offices are located in each state of the country and coordinate their efforts with public and private social assistance institutions across municipal, state and federal jurisdictions (Mexico n.d.e). For a list of PDMF offices in each state, please consult the "Directorio" on the following website (in Spanish only): http://procuradurias.dif.gob.mx/Procuraduria/

Information on the steps an individual needs to take in order to access protection could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Mexico. N.d.a. Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF). "¿Que es el DIF?" [Accessed 30 Dec. 2009]

_______. N.d.b. Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF). "Programa de Atencion Integral a Ninas, Ninos y Adolescentes en Desamparo."

_______. N.d.c. Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF). "Atencion a la Violencia Intrafamiliar y Maltrato al Menor."

_______. N.d.d. Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia. "¿Que son las Procuradurias de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia?" [Accessed 30 Dec. 2009]

_______. N.d.e. Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia. "Directorio de procuradurias por estado." [Accessed 30 Dec. 2009]

United Nations (UN). 28 January 2008. Human Rights Council. "Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development." Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit. Addendum. Mission to Mexico. (A/HRC/7/8/Add.2)

United States (US). N.d. Department of State. Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Mexico." International Parent Child Abduction.

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: The following non-governmental organizations based in Mexico did not respond within the time constraints of this Response: Fundacion Infantia, Fundacion Mexicana de Apoyo Infantil, and Centro de documentacion sobre la Infancia. In addition, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Mexico did not respond within the time constraints of this Response.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), Centro de documentacion sobre la Infancia, Child Rights Information Network (CRIN), Fundacion Infantia, Fundacion Mexicana de Apoyo Infantil, Human Rights Watch (HRW), La Jornada, Red por los Derechos de la Infancia en Mexico, Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refworld, UNICEF Mexico, El Universal.