Colectiva Cereza to Help Imprisoned Indigenous Women and Their Children with Basic Supplies

Colectiva Cereza, an organization comprised of 8 women who defend the rights of indigenous and migrant Mexican and Central American women who have been imprisoned in southern Mexico, has received a GPA emergency grant. The funds will be used to provide 23 women and their 26 children, some of whom are living with them in the prison, with basic food supplies, hygiene products and protective equipment.

Due to the pandemic, the prison has prohibited family visits, and since it is usually family members who provide women with sufficient food and essential supplies, they are left to fend for themselves. Colective Cereza works to have the women released from prison, and has successfully liberated 98 women in ten years it has been operating. None of the women has returned to prison. The group will therefore be able to deliver these products, and in addition will provide daily support via telephone.

Many of the incarcerated women are victims of violence, and the organization provides them with emotional and psychological support. The organization also operates a transitional home for the women and their children who have been released from prison, and provides them a job in restaurants or cultural centers to help them get on their feet. To read more about the amazing work of Colectiva Cereza, please visit their Facebook page: Colective Cereza Chiapas