New Act Broadens Discrimination Definition in Mexico City

On Tuesday, Mexico City's municipal government enacted new measures that will consider any discriminatory conduct coming from public servants or citizens a criminal offense.

The law, which was presented by Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera on July 9, and it broadens the definitions of discriminatory conducts on the city’s code to include misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, bi-phobia, transphobia and antisemitism.

Government agencies will also be required to generate public policies aimed at ending discriminatory conduct and promote equality and inclusion.

Victims of discrimination will be assisted through the Council to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination in Mexico City (COPRED), an arm's length body set up to in case of any human rights violations.

Article 5 of the modified law states that "any kind of discrimination against any individual due to their ethnicity, nationality, race, language, gender, sex, gender identity, gender role expression, disability, social status or economic level, genetic characteristics, pregnancy, religion, political allegiance, academic level, philosophy, their way of thinking or the way they look is absolutely prohibited."