Mexican Peacebuilding Support Group

In the fall of 2019, IFIT launched the Mexican Peacebuilding Support Group: an independent platform of Mexican thought leaders that seeks to bring about the conditions for a national-level peacebuilding policy that can be implemented through an incremental bottom-up approach.

IFIT’s work in Mexico

Our work includes analysing the local dynamics of violence in Mexico in order to generate evidence and technical recommendations that support the design of improved prevention strategies and peacebuilding initiatives both for government and civil society leaders.

The importance of local immersion

One of our core methodologies is the use of local field visits: structured exercises that foster multisectoral exchange and enable us to gather firsthand evidence to better understand local dynamics of violence and resilience.

Bringing global lessons to the local level

A comparative perspective allows us to identify tools and adapt lessons from other contexts that can help address the challenges faced in Mexico. Among other things, we adapt ideas developed via IFIT’s global initiatives, including the Initiative on Apex Court Appointments and the Initiative on Fast-Track Negotiation.

Our areas of work

Protecting democracy and the rule of law

We promote research, comparative analysis, and policy dialogue on strengthening democratic institutions and enhancing the rule of law, including  through the use of modern data and technology tools.

Addressing violence

We conduct field visits across different states in Mexico to gain an in-depth understanding of the various local manifestations of violence and resilience.

Strengthening capacities for dialogue and negotiation

We hold workshops for non-state actors to strengthen their dialogue and negotiation skills for dealing with humanitarian crises.

Featured items

Strengthening Mexico’s Judicial Selection Process

IFIT conducted an in-depth study of the first judicial selection process following the 2024 constitutional reform of Mexico’s judiciary. The research drew on IFIT’s Initiative on Apex Court Appointments and a comparative analysis of experiences from countries across the region.

Based on the findings, we developed recommendations to strengthen technical standards in Mexico, enhance the legitimacy of the selection process, and safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law.

Religious Actors and Organised Crime in Mexico

IFIT has partnered with researchers from the School of Social Sciences and Government at Tecnológico de Monterrey to deepen understanding of the relationship between organised crime groups and religious leaders in Mexico. The project seeks to generate evidence on the mechanisms of social control employed by criminal actors and the potential responses of religious actors.

Using a participatory methodology that combines workshops, fieldwork, interviews, and the systematisation of practical tools, we document local experiences, promote the exchange of lessons learned across localities, and generate practical knowledge for those working to prevent violence and strengthen the social fabric.