Overview

• At a Sept. 25–26 presentation of the “Sembrando el cambio” report, Oxfam México, Ethos, ProDESC, Fundación Avina and the Unión de Jornaleros Agrícolas detailed systemic violations affecting women in the fields.
• The report finds 86% of female agricultural workers lack social security and only about one in ten has a written contract, leaving most without pensions, paid benefits or reliable medical coverage.
• Reported workplace accidents to IMSS for agricultural workers rose from 6% in 2000 to 35% in 2024, with continued exposure to pesticides, extreme heat and dehydration.
• Employers commonly issue temporary medical “pases” to provide occasional care without rights, a practice that helps evade IMSS registration and blocks pension contributions.
• Advocates call for written contracts, IMSS affiliation, elimination of “pases,” gender‑sensitive inspections, expanded childcare and anti‑violence protocols, noting a shortfall of only 660 federal inspectors for over 456,000 workplaces and difficulty securing meetings with the Secretaría del Trabajo.