12/24/15 (written by kheinle) — The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) urged Mexico to continue improving and implementing its judicial reform system. The OECD’s push comes as Mexico quickly approaches the end of its constitutionally imposed deadline to overhaul the judicial system nationwide. All 31 states and the Federal District (Distrito Federal, DF) must have the new system implemented and operational both at the state and federal levels by June 2016.
Gabriela Ramos, special advisor to the OECD’s secretary general, stressed the need for judicial reform. “After the impressive arsenal of reforms that Mexico has tackled since the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto took office, we still lack judicial reform, the theme of justice, and security…” She added, “To the extent that there is no security continued, the other elements [of reform] cannot move forward.” The OECD also emphasized the importance of having all civilians safe and secure, including vulnerable populations, saying that it is a “fundamental obligation of authorities” to protect the people.
The OECD also drew attention to the number of “nini’s” in Mexico, meaning the number of young adults who neither study or work (NI estudian NI trabajan). The nini population plays a role in improving Mexico’s safety and security; the more young adults enrolled as students and/or employed, presumably the less likely they are to get involved in illicit activity. According to the OECD’s “Panorama de la Educación 2015” report, “in 2013 Mexico was one of only two countries within the OECD (the second being Colombia) where less than 60% of youth ages 15 to 19 years old were enrolled in the education system.” Meanwhile, the number of nini’s in Mexico has grown from 22% of the population aged 20-24 in 2012 to 25% in 2014.
Safety and security have long been issues in Mexico. With assertions and data like that from OECD, it helps make clear the importance and far reaching effects the ongoing judicial reform are expected to have in Mexico. Read the full OECD “Panorama de la Educación 2015” report here.
Sources:
Noriega, Sergio. “México necesita una reforma judicial: OCDE.” Sexenio. November 24, 2015.
René, Pierre-Marc. “Al país le falta una reforma de seguridad.” El Universal. November 24, 2015.
SUN. “Crece número de ‘ninis’ en México: OCDE.” Frontera.info. November 24, 2015.
