Mexico - On the occasion of Human Rights Day (10 December), IOM and the Mexican State of Durango this week signed a cooperation agreement for the protection of the rights of migrants from Durango.

The agreement, signed by Jorge Herrera Caldera, Governor of the State of Durango, and IOM Chief of Mission in Mexico, Thomas Weiss, will focus on three main objectives: provide assistance to migrants; address the needs of migrants at risk; make migrants’ rights and inclusion a key for the development of their communities.

At the signing ceremony, Governor Herrera Caldera expressed concern for the needs of migrants at risk, stressing the need for them to know their rights, while adding that migrants should be informed on ways they can get involved in the development of their communities of origin.

Herrera Caldera also emphasized that the State Durango has the first constitution in the country that recognizes all international treaties signed by the central government in Mexico City.

“IOM and the State of Durango are ready to work together to face migration challenges, especially protection and assistance to migrants at risk,” said Thomas Weiss, IOM Chief of Mission in Mexico.

“IOM and the Mexican task force of the United Nations, are on your side to promote orderly and humane migration management in Durango, which provides practical and inclusive solutions to all migrants, through local management and an interagency and multidisciplinary approach,” said Weiss at the signing ceremony.

IOM stressed its commitment to the welfare of migrants and the promotion of the positive aspects of migration, through the development of programs that focus on labor migration, assisted voluntary return, human security, research, analysis and dissemination of good migration practices, as well as capacity building of government and civil society.

According to official statistics, Durango is one of the eight Mexican states with the highest number of people migrating to the United States.  In 2010, 94.8 per cent of migrants from Durango travelled to the US. 

With a total population of 1,531,298 persons, and 407,712 households reportedly receiving remittances, Durango is one of the highest recipients of remittances. 

According to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the total number of persons that left their states to settle in other states within Mexico was 35,963 in 2005.  That same year, the total number of Mexicans that moved to Durango was 26,121.  As for international migration, in 2005 a total of 42,307 persons left Durango for the United States. This figure confirms that for every 1,000 inhabitants, 29 migrated to the US, whereas the national average is 16 emigrants for every 1,000 inhabitants.

IOM Mexico promotes partnerships amongst all migration actors, including private and public institutions and civil society and international organizations, in order to capitalize on expertise and strengths.  IOM has signed similar cooperation agreements with the states of Chiapas, Chihuahua and Oaxaca and is negotiating similar agreements with other states along the migratory route, including Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Tabasco.

For more information, please contact

Itzel Vivaldo
IOM Mexico
Tel: + 52 55 5536 3922 ext. 112
Email: ivivaldo@iom.int