ACHIEVEMENTS

a) Member organizations

DemySex currently comprises more than 200 sexual education and sexual rights organizations working with young people in the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Morelos, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán and Zacatecas. State networks have now been created in Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Morelos, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Yucatán, Zacatecas, and Mexico City .

b) Electronic network

Our electronic network currently has a total of 309 users; 46 in Mexico City, 149 in the states, and 90 friends of the network in Mexico City and 24 in the states , Electronic Network Directory of Users).

Our electronic network distributes an average of 6 daily messages on the following topics:

"Announcements of the DemySex Committee. These are messages the coordinating committee wants to share with the networks and organizations and deemed vital to the network's operation.

"Newspaper articles and information published by the newspapers El Universal, El Heraldo, La Jornada, Reforma and Milenio Diario. The network expanded its information services by adding reviews published in some supplements by the Catholic church and conservative groups. The title of this section is, "The opinion of the conservative" and it includes articles published in the supplements Nuevo Criterio , Desde la fe, and Todo México Somos Hermanos (a monthly supplement published by Reforma). In general, they are articles dealing with the subjects of sexual health, women, laicism, diversity, HIV-AIDS, sexual and reproductive rights, abortion and gender, among others.

"Topics of common interest. They include topics appearing in supplements, magazines, and research reports.

"Exchange of information about DemySex. We distribute messages, comments and information on achievements received from the different member organizations, including the announcement of courses, workshops, lectures and forums, local news, upcoming events and book presentations, among others.

"Research reports. DemySex has a part-time researcher delivering monthly information on several topics related to political decisions and actions impacting the advocacy of sexual and reproductive rights.

Our electronic network also exchanges information with other information agencies, which allows us to provide our users with better services. These agencies are: NotieSe , Modemmujer and Amigos vs. el SIDA. During the period January-December 2001, we sent a total of 2,376 e-mails to our members and friends and received a total of 3,426. DemySex also has a web page: http://www.demysex.org.mx
c) Publications

DemySex has published the following materials:

"An Anthology of Readings published with funds of the Ministry of Public Education and the Packard Foundation.
"Proceedings of our national meetings.
"Proceedings of the National Forum for a Secular State.
"Proceedings of the Youth Forum on Sexual Rights in held in Tlaxcala in 2000, published by the National Youth Institute, for the organization of work with state civil organizations in favor of youth.
"Brochures on the objectives of DemySex.
"Two-page brochure on the Tlaxcala 2000 Declaration of the Sexual Rights of Young People.
"Reports on a geopolitical map of conservative forces in the Mexican states.

d) Events

With the financial support of the Ford, Packard and MacArthur Foundations, Demysex has organized a series of internal and external meetings. The following is a list of the events we have organized:

"Three national annual meetings, in 1999, 2000 and 2001, the first of which was organized with funding from the MacArthur, Packard and Ford Foundations.
"Seven meetings for the formation of 7 state networks in 2000 with funding from the MacArthur and Ford Foundations, and 5 for the formation of 5 state networks in 2001 with funding from the Ford Foundation.
"Five regional meetings in 2000 with funding from the Packard Foundation Seven press conferences in 2000 and 2001 with MacArthur funds 6 forums in 2000 and 4 forums in 2001, on sexual education and sexual rights, sexual diversity and youth, laicism, sexual education and women, and the social dimensions of sexual work, among others. These forums were targeted at parents, young people, teachers and the public in general. They were held in different cities, such as Monterrey, in the state of Nuevo León; Jalapa, in the state of Veracruz; Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora; Querétaro, and Mexico City,.
"Two youth festivals in 2000 and 2001
"Eight public announcements in newspapers in 2000 and 2001. We provided financial support and took part in their design.
"5 internal regional training courses in 2000 and 2001 The topics addressed included Public Policies, Use of the Media, Sexual Education, Sexual Health, Conservatism, Laicism, Advocacy and Strategic Planning.
"Courses and lectures for outside groups, such as the course on fiscal matters attended by the network's manager in 2000; the Seminar on Sexual Abuse and Child Eroticism in Mexico City, or the Training Course for Radio Hosts by Alfa Radio in October 2001.

It is also worth mentioning that due to the changes in the policies and areas of activity of the Ford Foundation, funding Demysex received from that organization was not renewed in 2002 and, therefore, the activities carried out with those resources in the past require another funding source.

e) Public Policies

Demysex has developed actions with different government agencies and bodies to promote changes in public policies:

1-Ministry of Public Education (SEP). In 1998 and 1999 the network participated in the review of the free textbook for the elementary education 5th and 6th grades, and also the design and publication of an Anthology of Readings on sexuality (copy attached). The success of these efforts can be seen in the advances in the area of sexuality in the textbook for the 5th grade, which is still being used all throughout the country.
On the other hand, two members of the network's Coordinating Committee developed the program for the new subject of "Civic and Ethical Education" taught in basic middle education. We were able to integrate sexual education based on human rights in said program. We also developed the contents of one of the textbooks for this subject.
Other actions carried out by the network have included the training of our coordinators in the northern region of the country, along with DemySex's coordinators in the states of Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Chihuahua.

2-National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). We are currently participating in this Commission to Promote the Campaign for the Sexual Rights of Young People. This campaign will be promoted and funded by the CNDH and will begin in April this year.

3-Mexico City Human Rights Commission. The Mexico City network supported the candidacy of two individuals for the presidency of this commission: Justice Margarita Guerra and Ernesto Alvarez Icaza; the latter was elected and we are currently organizing joint actions for the promotion of sexual rights in Mexico City.

4-National Council for Childhood and Adolescence (COIA). Demysex was admitted as a member of this Council, and we have provided them with technical advice for activities focused on sexual education, including the organization of the National Week of Childhood and Adolescence in April this year. It is worth mentioning that Demysex is the only civil organization in the field of sexual education participating in the Council and that is why we organized state forums promoting the sexual rights of adolescents within the framework of this week.

5-The Mexican Youth Institute (IMJ). The relationship with this Institute was good over the six-year period of the last government administration. In that period, we held two forums to analyze and exchange experiences on the topic of the sexuality of young people. These events led to the consolidation of the work relationship between the our member organizations and the heads of the state Youth Institutes. Demysex provided them with technical support for the publication of the proceedings of the two forums and the design and publication of the brochure "Declaration of the Sexual Rights of Young People", which was designed by young people of several Mexican organizations in the city of Tlaxcala.

6-Parents Associations of the Ministry of Education. Last year we signed an agreement with the National Parents Association whereby the network will offer counseling and sexual education for parents in the different Mexican states. Our Coordinating Committee is now developing a strategy for the future work with this association.

7-National Family Development Agency (DIF). In response to the campaign announced last year by the National DIF to promote sexual abstinence for the prevention of teenage pregnancy, we expressed our rejection, as well as our willingness to collaborate for the development of campaigns for teenage pregnancy prevention, in a public announcement in published in several newspapers and an open letter addressed to Ana Teresa Aranda, the Chair of this government agency. We also held a press conference with the slogan "In sexual education, not a step back!" to advocate the advances in the field of sexual education in textbooks and the public policies of the Ministry of Public Education. These actions were overwhelming and resulted in the abstinence campaign not taking place. Ana Teresa Aranda sent a letter to our President, José Aguilar, stating she would consider DemySex's participation in the DIF as a counterpart in dialogue and also as technical advisors for this kind of campaigns., Letter from Ana Teresa Aranda to Demysex).

As a follow-up to that letter, since last year, we have repeatedly requested an appointment with Mrs. Aranda, but we have not received a positive response. Instead, our request was referred to Loreto García, the Assistant Director of the Vulnerable Population Division, who, on March 6, met with the President of the Demysex Committee and the Coordinator of State Networks. At this meeting, they explained to her the activities of the network and requested her support for a meeting with Mrs. Aranda and also for joint activities in the field of sexual education. Ms. García promised she would provide us with a list of the heads of their state branches so our state networks could contact them and submit proposals for joint activities. She also promised she would help us to get a meeting with the National President of the DIF and schedule a meeting with the heads of their pregnancy prevention programs and their children's sexual exploitation divisions for us to establish dialogue and propose joint sexual education actions.

8.Interviews with government representatives. Both last year and this year the representatives of our Coordinating Committee held different interviews with key figures in the national political scene. The following are some of the individuals interviewed:

"Mrs.. Martha Sahagún de Fox, Mexico's First Lady
"Santiago Creel Miranda, Undersecretary of the Interior
"Dr. José Sarukhan, Honorary President of the Council for Childhood and Adolescence
"Dr. Reyes Tamez Guerra
"Mtro. Emilio Alvarez Icaza

These interviews allowed us to expose our objectives and functions and propose joint activities with various government agencies.

f) Joint work with other Networks and Groups of Civil Organizations

The network has carried out various activities (networks, campaigns, courses, seminars, etc.) with civil organizations, including the following:

1-Grupo por el Fortalecimiento de un Nuevo Laicismo ("Group for the Strengthening of a New Laicism"). Two members of the coordinating committee are part of their executive board. With them, we organized a Forum for the Advocacy of a Lay State (copy of proceedings attached), as well as press conferences, public announcements published in newspapers and other forums.

2-Committee for Follow-up on the Youth Forum on Sexual Rights held in Tlaxcala in 2000. Demysex is giving them technical and financial support for the design of a brochure on the sexual rights of adolescents for the Campaign for the Sexual Rights of Young People. We are also supporting them with training.

3-The Campaign for Women's Access to Justice, where we provided systematic support for the reform of section of the penal code regarding childhood and adolescence. These activities were publicly announced at the Forum on Access to Justice for the Federal District, which was held last year.

4-The Mexican Sexual Education and Sexology Federation (FEMESS). The role of this organization is promoting sexology courses and congresses; we have worked together promoting the activities of FEMESS through our electronic network and actively participating in the organization of their National Congresses.

5-The Sexual Educators and Therapists Certification Board (CAPSEX), whose role is certifying professionals interested in working in the field of sexual education. We promote their certification and organize joint events.

6-World Campaign "Condoms for Life". Together with Catholics for a Free Choice, we launched an awareness campaign among bishops on the importance of promoting condoms as a preventive measure. The campaign was launched on December the 1st and announced at a press conference on March 11. Demysex will support it through press conferences in the states.

7-Project with Equidad de Género to monitor the use of budgets. The objective of this project is training the representatives of organizations working with adolescents in the monitoring of public funds for programs with adolescents.

8-Mujeres en Frecuencia and the radio program Entre Cuates ("Among Pals"). Demysex is supporting the production of ten sexual education radio programs for distribution among NGOs and radio stations throughout the country.

9-IPAS. We are working together to support programs targeted at adolescents in the states, particularly the printing of the Booklet on Sexual Rights that distributed at the Forums held in April.

10-DEMYSEX has a permanent exchange of information with information agencies such as NotieSe, Modemmujer, CODISEX, Amigos vs. el SIDA, and the New York Institute for Democracy.