International Women’s Day saw the establishment of a separate multi-party “women’s caucus” in the Jalisco State Congress, comprised, initially, of 21 of the legislature’s 24 female representatives.
Their aim is to hold monthly sessions to find consensus in as many areas as possible regarding women’s issues and rights. Caucus coordinator María Dolores López admitted that, while “there will be issues on which we will not agree, we have to work together on as many agendas as possible.”
The only legislators who have specific agendas for women’s rights are Susana de La Rosa Hernández of the Futuro party, and Mara Robles Villaseñor of Hagamos, who both advocate amending the state constitution to decriminalize abortion. De La Rosa made it known that among her other priorities are initiatives on teen pregnancy, pay parity for women and gender violence.