The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Women has launched two fresh cooperation agreements aimed at advancing gender equality and widening access to health services nationwide. The plans include rolling out the National Care System and distributing the Cartilla de Derechos de las Mujeres (Women’s Rights Booklet) across IMSS clinics.
“This is not just a continuation of previous commitments but a reaffirmation of our institutional priorities under a new government framework,” said Zoé Robledo, Director General of IMSS. He stressed the need for systems that allow women to develop their careers without having to give up family ambitions.
The latest agreement builds on a partnership first formalised in 2016 between IMSS and the former National Institute for Women. Now under the newly created Ministry of Women, led by Citlalli Hernández, the updated arrangements include a general and a specific framework to tackle inequalities linked to geography, ethnicity, gender, and age.
A key part of the plan is the Women’s Rights Booklet, which details rights in healthcare and other areas. Developed under President Claudia Sheinbaum, the booklet will be distributed in IMSS Family Medicine Units and made available online. Officials hope it will help women better understand and exercise their rights in medical, workplace, and social settings.
The agreements also feature plans to grow IMSS’s network of Centres for Education and Child Care (CECI), a cornerstone of the National Care System. IMSS intends to establish 1,000 centres, with 200 already in the planning stage. These facilities will be situated close to workplaces and IMSS-affiliated communities. Robledo said such services should be regarded as part of labour policy rather than a commercial commodity.
According to Hernández, the collaboration with IMSS addresses a range of women’s needs, from education for teenagers to care for older people. She highlighted the importance of embedding these services into public institutions and ensuring they are available in accessible places like clinics and community centres. She also emphasised the role of IMSS staff in distributing the booklet and promoting it as a conversation starter.
The agreements will also link up with the Centres LIBRE, which provide a range of services for women, including health, legal, and social support. Hernández said cooperation between the ministry and IMSS will continue to expand under the federal government’s wider goal of uniting institutional work within a gender-inclusive framework.
