Mothers and children living in penitentiary centers

Abstract

In general, women are considered a vulnerable group due to the inequalities they face in the patriarchal and sexist system, but this is especially true for women deprived of their freedom in penitentiary centers who are also pregnant or mothers and live with their children born in those spaces. While Mexican law foresees this situation and recognizes the rights of mothers and children, the reality is different in the penitentiary system. Given the lack of tools to guarantee the healthy development of these children, public policies focused on this population, and a system that punishes women who commit crimes, the defense of human rights as the cornerstone of this scenario is more of a utopia than the reality experienced in the country’s penitentiary centers.