“We must make sure decisions taken by the EU don’t have a negative impact on human rights beyond its borders!”- Paula Saucedo-Deutsche Menschenrechtskoordination Mexiko

Paula recently joined the German Human Rights Coordination Mexico, a network of organisations and initiatives working in Germany on the human rights situation in Mexico. As EU Advocacy Officer, Paula supports Mexican human rights organisations in their fight against human rights violations and impunity, and for more democracy and justice.

What does the change you are trying to achieve look like? Why is the EU important?

We are trying to raise the profile of Latin America within the EU, with a special focus on Mexico. We also monitor various pieces of legislation that affect our country, such as the Critical Raw Materials Act or the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Our mission is to prevent policies decided by the EU from leading to human rights violations in our territories in Latin America.

The EU is Mexico’s second largest investor and third largest trading partner. We want to make people aware of the importance of economic cooperation and of the impact of the EU on the Global South, through its companies and trade agreements.

We have been focusing on Germany but it’s crucial for us to get more involved at the EU level to have a greater impact.

Which challenges are you facing?

Latin America is currently not a priority for the EU, given the war in Ukraine and other geopolitical issues. It’s challenging to raise awareness of the importance of our region for the EU. Breaking into this bubble and reaching the EU institutions has not been easy.

We'll have to wait until after the European Elections to see who will be part of the new delegations of the European Parliament to Latin America and of the next Commission. If the far right gains more power in the European Parliament, this could be a big challenge for us, in particular on human rights issues.

One tip you want to share with other public interest advocates?

It’s important to have an understanding of the context and of how decisions taken at EU level can have an impact on the Global South.

The Critical Raw Materials Act is a good example. The EU will need resources from the Global South for its energy transition. We can leverage this dependence of the EU to engage with policy makers to push for change and demand respect for human rights, emphasising that we are important to the EU as well.

I would also recommend expanding and strengthening your network. Focus more on a regional perspective rather than a country perspective.