Mexico City, March 17, 2026 — As part of efforts to promote safe environments during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, security and justice authorities, along with key stakeholders from Mexico’s tourism, hotel, and air transport sectors, strengthened their capacities to detect, intervene, and assist victims/survivors of gender‑based violence.
Major sporting events generate significant opportunities for cultural and economic exchange; however, large concentrations of people can also increase certain risks of violence, particularly against women and girls.
In this context, the Embassies of Canada and the United Kingdom in Mexico, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), hosted the “Training‑of‑Trainers Workshop on the Detection, Intervention, and Assistance to Victims/Survivors of Gender‑Based Violence (GBV) in the Context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Participants strengthened their knowledge to identify the impacts of gender‑based violence—particularly sexual violence and family violence—and to provide appropriate, victim‑centered support to both Mexican and foreign victims/survivors.
During the opening ceremony, Ms. Mylène Kahalé, Minister‑Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico, emphasized that this type of violence constitutes a human rights violation and a barrier to gender equality, economic empowerment, development, and peace. She reaffirmed that Canada strongly condemns all forms of sexual and gender‑based violence and maintains a firm commitment to its eradication.
Mr. Gary Fisher, Consul General of Mexico and Regional Manager of Consular Operations for Mexico and Central America at the British Embassy in Mexico, highlighted that cases of gender‑based violence tend to increase during large‑scale events such as football matches and stressed that timely intervention can make a significant difference.
Ms. Stacy de la Torre, Head of UNODC in Mexico, stated:
“May the next FIFA World Cup be remembered not only for its sporting significance, but also for the strength of our institutions and for the clear message that violence has no place in our public spaces or in our society.”
The training also included components aimed at facilitating coordination with victim support services, protection mechanisms, and consular services, to ensure that victims are able to access institutional support in a timely manner.
One of the core elements of the workshop was its training‑of‑trainers approach, through which participants acquired standardized foundational knowledge that they can replicate within their own institutions, thus expanding the reach of prevention and response actions to gender‑based violence.
The workshop brought together participants from various sectors, including:
- British Airways and WestJet airlines
- Mexico City International Airport “Benito Juárez”
- Mexico City Command, Control, Computing, Communications and Citizen Contact Center (C5)
- Estadio Banorte
- National Institute of Migration
- Mexico City Hotel Association (A.C.)
- National Association of Hotel Chains
- Mexico City Attorney General’s Office
- Mexico City Secretariat of Citizen Security
- Mexico City Secretariat of Tourism
- Mexico City Police University
This activity forms part of the initiative “Let’s End Violence, Let’s Change for All,” which between 2021 and 2022 implemented actions to address the risks of sexual violence and other forms of gender‑based violence against women and girls from Canada and the United Kingdom visiting Mexico as tourists or under other migration statuses.
Early preparation and training of key personnel are fundamental elements to ensure that individuals facing situations of violence can access protection, assistance, and justice in a timely manner.
Through this joint effort, UNODC—via its Gender and Human Rights Advisory Group—actively participates in capacity‑building processes aimed at public and private institutions to incorporate a gender perspective into their practices and policies, and to enhance understanding of gender‑based violence, its manifestations, and its consequences. In doing so, the initiative promotes the creation of safer and more equitable environments and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
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For more information, please contact:
- Fernando Cañez, Communication Coordinator of UNODC Mexico, email: [email protected], Tel: +52 55 4761 1502
- Gabriela Hernández, Media Relations and Promotion Officer at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico, e-mail: [email protected], Tel: +52 55 9168 1573
- Vania Guerrero, Head of Public Diplomacy at the British Embassy in Mexico, email: [email protected]