Academia Mexicana de Derecho Ambiental recognizes the challenges faced by marginalized populations in Mexico, who remain without access to civil justice. Thus, the program provides pro-bono work by teaming up with young lawyers and law students who monitor administrative and civil litigation.
Challenge
Despite constitutional and international legislation guaranteeing the social, cultural, and economic rights of indigenous and rural populations in Mexico, many remain subjugated under a system that refuses to respect their fundamental rights. As documented by the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index®, corruption in Mexico is pervasive in all branches of government. According to Academia Mexicana de Derecho Ambiental, discrimination against vulnerable groups, corruption among judicial officials, and violation of due process remains prevalent in civil, commercial, agrarian, and commercial causes affecting indigenous and rural populations. Failure to prosecute government officials who commit such violations remains a serious case of concern.
Program Summary
Academia Mexicana de Derecho Ambiental recognizes the challenges faced by marginalized populations in Mexico, who remain without access to civil justice. Thus, the program provides pro-bono work by teaming up with young lawyers and law students who monitor administrative and civil litigations. The program will build the technical capacities of its lawyers by exposing them to key rule of law issues through established linkages between urban lawyers and indigenous and rural youths interested in the law. Additionally, the program publicizes its work and results through bulletins that also serve as a basis for feedback from the communities involved. These bulletins build support within the media, to ensure better results and wider social support for the program.
Impact
The beneficiaries of this project are vulnerable groups, including rural and urban populations, as well as indigenous peoples. The impact of this program in relation to the WJP Rule of Law Index ® factors and subfactors for Mexico are:
- Promotion of efficacy within the judiciary by conducting inspection of government officials, monitoring cases of misconduct, and documenting, addressing, and publicizing any abuse of fundamental rights. Indigenous people, local scholars, and members of civil society will be part of the checks and balances that evaluate the exercise of government power in Mexico;
- Dissemination of information on judicial abuse of power will lead to greater transparency within the judiciary and reduce cases of corruption and impunity within the institution;
- Creation of conducive environments for citizens to adjudicate their disputes and seek redress without resorting to violence;
- Increased public participation through strategic litigation and support for the implementation of the right to petition the government;
- Effective enforcement of government regulations, administrative proceedings are conducted without unreasonable delay, and due process is respected in administrative proceedings; and
- Provide access to civil justice that is free of discrimination, corruption, improper government influence and unreasonable delays.
In the long run, the project will promote ADRs that are accessible, impartial, and effective.
Partners
Academia Mexicana de Derecho Ambiental will establish a partnership with:
- Involved communities or groups of communities that show interest in obtaining legal processes
- Students from Escuela Libre de Derecho
- Other appropriate academic institutions and NGOs