By Mónica Herrera Villavicencio 

Federal Deputy LXVI Legislature

I am Mónica Herrera Villavicencio, I am currently a Federal Deputy for District VII of the state of Veracruz. I have a disability, my diagnosis is Hoffman Type 2 Muscular Atrophy, which means that since I was born I have been totally dependent for all my functions, from going to the bathroom, getting up, going to bed and eating.

My condition is progressive, meaning that at some point in my life, I will be completely dependent on someone. For example, when I was a child, I could feed myself; now, that's a function I've stopped doing.

I am fully aware of what we currently call the "national care system." For me and many people in my position, it translates into total dependence on others. Some of us are fortunate enough to have our families as an essential part of this national care system.

Throughout my personal development throughout my life, I have relied on people who have voluntarily supported me. This story is one of thousands of stories that could be told, but unfortunately, not everyone is so fortunate.

In my current role, I've had to increase my number of caregivers: people who leave others without that care, mothers who leave their children, children who leave their parents, people who leave everything behind because they need a job, or because they love me.

In the end, it is a job that must be recognized. The work they do is very important, and that recognition must come from society. When you see a person with a disability, most of the time they have someone looking after them, usually their family. But even if it is not their job, they end up looking after the person. In my particular case, I remember the boyfriends I've had. At first, he was my boyfriend, but sooner or later, he inevitably became my carer.

Caregivers have no gender. This has been a task that has generally been assigned to women, and that must change. We must work to eliminate that role because, ultimately, it is a shared responsibility that is not only biased toward one gender based on customs and traditions.

In the wake of the pandemic, this issue has become more visible. It's important to recognize their rights and provide them with legal certainty, to care for their mental health, to ensure they receive care, and, above all, to respect their right to rest, their right to a dignified life, and their right to recognition in their work.

My caregivers are my arms and legs, an extension of me; with feelings, emotions, and needs of their own, they too have separate lives: families, responsibilities, aspirations, and a desire for recreation.

Why has their work not been fully dignified?

In February 2024, reforms to various federal laws were approved in Mexico with the aim of integrating and recognizing the right to care within the national legal framework. This represented significant progress, but the reality is that complementary public policies are needed to guarantee their implementation and, above all, their sustainability.

Being a person with a disability can sometimes be very complicated, although what is really complex is achieving the sensitivity and visibility of those who are unaware of the subject. Personally, I often feel little empathy with people without disabilities. I don't know how they can live in this world without so many barriers and limitations or with so many places for them with accessibility - at this moment I just laugh, it's a joke about the upside-down world that I sometimes fantasize about.

Fortunately, we live in times where we are now considered in decision-making spaces, where we can promote inclusion and raise awareness among decision-makers and help people develop empathy. If you are empathetic, you can support our cause and understand what the daily life of a person with a disability is like.

Now we move on to an even bigger problem, there are various disabilities that exist in the world and many are so complex that I could not even list them right now or explain them in detail, it would take the whole article and more, what I can encompass is that people in their daily lives, are so used to believing that when there is a disability, therefore there is always a support network and it is very unfortunate to say that sometimes even the family itself abandons the person with a disability, because it is not sustainable neither economically, socially and much less emotionally.

For this reason, it's important to recognize the work of a caregiver. They need to learn the necessary care so that, in my case, I can have a much simpler life. I can move around despite my immobility, they understand my needs and help me meet them. They become the perfect accomplice for navigating a world without accessibility.

It is also important for people to understand that disability doesn't exist according to color, sexual orientation, and much less political affiliation. According to the WHO and the World Bank, each and every one of us who inhabit this planet lives with a disability, and many of these are acquired through illness, accident, or aging.

Being a caregiver goes beyond assisting with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and mobility assistance. It also involves supporting us in times of uncertainty, anxiety attacks, and the depression that constantly plagues our lives, especially when job opportunities are lacking. They help foster our dignity and guarantee our right to a full life. For many caregivers, it may just be a job, but for most, it becomes a mission of love, where every small gesture, a word of encouragement, a smile, or simply a constant presence translates into an overwhelming force of hope and resilience.

In Mexico, caring for someone means facing multiple challenges. People face a lack of institutional support, a loss of autonomy, isolation, and social invisibility. Ultimately, what's truly most important is creating a political and public agenda not only for people with disabilities but also for their caregivers.

How important is a caregiver to us? They are the people who make it easier for us to navigate a world where there are so many limitations when you have a disability; and where the impossible becomes possible. They are our hope, the support that gives us the possibility of living a life with safety, dignity, accessibility, and love.