On 9 March 2020, many Mexican female employees will be participating in a high-profile strike against gender-based violence.
Background
It is estimated that around 10 women are murdered every day in Mexico. Several nationwide weekend protests have been held over the past few weeks against gender-based violence. The protests are the result of a lack of response from the Mexican government to two high-profile murders of women in Mexico City in the past month.
Key details
The strike was authorized by the government and is supported by several organizations, such as the Mexican Employer’s Confederation and universities. According to the Mexican National Chambers of Commerce, it is estimated that the strike will cost around MXN 1.3 million.
Several politicians, public officials and political parties support the protest. Some of them have tweeted that female employees working for their government agencies will be free to join the movement and won’t be penalized for participating in the protest. In addition, many large Mexican businesses are planning to allow their female employees to take the day off for the protest without being required to log a day off or be penalized for participating in this strike.
Next steps
Employers may want to consider whether to follow the trend of large businesses and certain government offices.
