On May 21, social movements, trade unions, human rights organizations, and academics gathered in Mexico City for the first Assembly for the Construction of a Comprehensive Advocacy Agenda in the USMCA.
The initiative was convened by the Citizens’ Alliance for Peace, formed by the Peoples’ Movement for Peace and Justice and many allied networks, including the National Peace Conference, the National Dialogue for Peace, the Forums for a Human Rights Culture, Justice and Security in Mexico, and the Platform for the Construction of Peace in Mexico. The objective of the gathering was to develop a broad, plural, and inclusive agenda that represents civil society’s vision in light of the upcoming government review of the Mexico-United States-Canada Agreement (TMEC).
The meeting was also attended by representatives from U.S. and Canadian human rights and labor organizations interested in joining and building a regional voice that advocates for a treaty centered on the rights of the people in all three countries.
The event focused on five main areas:
- Labor
- Agriculture
- Migration
- Environmental Agenda
- Human Security
The key outcome of the meeting was the formation of the Citizens’ Assembly to advocate for human rights, peace, and justice in the USMCA. In the weeks ahead, participants will finalize a document that includes the proposals from the event. Following this effort, the Assembly will reconvene to continue advancing the citizens’ agenda and developing a strategy for its implementation through dialogue with authorities in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The Citizens’ Assembly for Advocacy has already begun engaging with organizations, networks, and collectives in Canada and the United States in hopes of developing joint strategies and a common agenda. It has also initiated dialogue with Mexican authorities to establish coordinated mechanisms for bringing the people’s proposals to the negotiating table.