The Mission.

Me toco un reto y un privilegio. A challenge came my way recently. A professional challenge and privilege.

At Center Prodh we recently coordinated the International Human Rights Mission of the World Organization Againt Torture (OMCT), specifically its program on the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

It was the first international human rights mission that I have been part of and it was a big learning experience. An incredible amount of work, coordinating everything from the entry of the independent experts into the country, to the composition of meetings and the dynamic in between different mexican NGOs and then accompanying the mission on their visit to Oaxaca, a southern state of mexico. The whole experience was new, stressful, nervewracking, inspiring, exhausting and gratifying.


I learnt a lot and was witness to the sharing of experiences from the brave and determined human rights defenders throughout mexico - who have been threatened, assulted, harassed and even disappeared, tortured and killed for their work througout the country.








I learnt to shut up about what I said in a taxi, I learnt a little bit more about the dealing with mexican authorities (I still have a long way to go, it's a maze!), and I learnt a great deal from the mission members themselves.
The subtlety of the whole exercise was rather impressive. Building up that knowledge of how to manoever in such a situation is something that I am eager to work on.



Here are some photos from beloved oaxaca.