Photo credit: Hannah Bacon
By Hannah Bacon, MAGG
In the final month of my position at UNDP Mexico, I have started to reflect on my time here and what it has taught me about the world, the intergovernmental sector and myself. Now, in a particularly harrowing time for gender equality and women’s rights in global politics, I find it increasingly difficult to maintain hope, and I am sure I am not alone. The recent administration change in the United States weighs heavy between my home in Canada and the country that has welcomed me for the last six months, Mexico. Although each state is impacted differently by the harsh first weeks of the Trump administration, there is no doubt that the next four years will cause a substantial shift for both states. With the future of Canadian politics uncertain and our neighbour encouraging misogynistic rhetoric and funding cuts, I am glad that I have had the last six months to give me a reminder of the important and successful work being done by feminists. Throughout my time at UNDP, I have been able to dip into a diverse roster of feminist projects, some as large as the national level and others just within the walls of the UNDP office. Yet again, these have reminded me that working directly on feminist issues is vital if we continue to resist and create the foundation to fight back.
Since my last blog, I have primarily been developing content for our Calendario Feminista 2025, which I am pleased to announce has been published here. The calendar is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), a multifaceted declaration and platform for global gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Beijing 95 became consolidated as a key reference point for coordinating actions aimed at reducing gender inequality gaps and violence against women through public policies and international development cooperation mechanisms. Some also consider it the birth of gender mainstreaming, a concept of ever-growing importance in the erasure of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
I have also been helping research new standards for gender equality in the private sector from the Mexican government, comparing them to the work of UNDP’s Gender Seal. The Gender Seal assesses remuneration, work-life balance, career development opportunities, recruitment processes, protections from gender-based and sexual violence and supply chain management, awarding businesses a bronze, silver or gold status depending on how many requirements they fulfill. Since 2015, UNDP Mexico has certified more private institutions than any other UN state; they hold 297 out of 517 global certifications, highlighting the level of engagement for women’s economic empowerment and labour protections exemplified by UNDP Mexico in the private sector. These standards for accountability from intergovernmental organizations, such as UNDP, could help withstand the push away from gender equity in the workplace.
On a more personal note, I have found a wonderful small community of friends here, people I hope I will continue to stay in touch with or see again on more little adventures. In terms of those little adventures, I took a hot air balloon ride over the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacán and learned about the history of the pre-Hispanic city. I spent some time in Guanajuato admiring the city’s colours and eating the spiciest food I could manage, as well as a weekend in Taxco, the silver capital of Mexico, full of white and terracotta buildings and vintage taxis. However, most of my free time is spent in my favourite park in the city with a book, a coffee, a concha, and the company of friends. Although I wish I could have visited more of Mexico, it is a wonderful feeling to know I will be back in the future with new places to explore. Ultimately, I could not recommend Mexico City enough and to anyone interested in visiting, go!
Returning to more serious themes, I would like to finish this post with a request, or rather a plea, to those reading this to start caring more about gender issues. Even before the current onslaught of attacks on gender equality and feminism, there has always been a general dismissiveness when it comes to discussing gender issues. Often these complex and violent problems of social hierarchies and power structures are characterized solely as “women’s problems” and thus, somehow cannot be that serious or impactful. While many people would consider themselves supportive of gender equality, many do not pay true attention to the goings-on of gender in their day-to-day life or politics. Ask yourself what you know about gender issues, ask yourself what you could learn, and ask yourself what you can do. As efforts continue to try to silence discussions on gender, power and politics, I implore you, even if it is not what you normally read about or take an interest in, to seek out the gender perspective. You owe yourself and the women in your life that much.
Hannah
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BSIA, its students, faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.