Women protested gender-based violence in Mexico City earlier this month Photo: Shutterstock.com

Mexican law firms have rallied around a call for women to "become invisible" March 9, as the country grasps for ways to address endemic and increasingly gruesome gender violence.

"This is a real crisis," said Juan Francisco Torres-Landa, head of the Mexico office for Hogan Lovells, who added that supporting the strike was a no-brainer. "We need to break the inertia that this is normal."

The momentum for a women's strike began in mid-February, following the brutal murder in Mexico City of a young woman whose body was skinned and disemboweled allegedly by her husband. A few days later, a 7-year-old was abducted outside her elementary school, sexually abused and killed; the child's body was found inside a plastic bag, tossed in an empty field.

Those events sent women once again to the streets of the capital to protest. One masked protester tried to torch the doors of the presidential palace while others doused it with red paint. Afterward, activists for gender equality began to reflect on how else they could express outrage over violence against women and hopefully spur real change.

Thus began the push for "A Day Without Us."

The idea is that women and girls completely remove themselves from society that day—staying home, not engaging in social media, skipping school and work—so that the country feels their absence and values their contributions.

Hector Herrera, president of the Mexican Bar, has called on all firms in the association to respect the strike by women March 9, saying the bar itself would give its own female personnel the day off, with pay.

"We hope this action contributes to a reflection to provoke change that eradicates violence against women," Herrera said in a statement posted to Twitter.

Mexico recorded 3,825 cases of women killed because of their gender last year, a crime catalogued as femicide that carries harsher penalties than other homicides in Mexico. That averages to more than 10 females murdered every day, making Mexico one of the most dangerous countries in the world for girls and women. Only one of every 10 reported crimes in Mexico results in jail time.

A growing number of Mexican lawyers say that in addition to half the population being at a high risk of suffering violence, rule of law is also in jeopardy. Lynchings are on the rise in the country as Mexicans lose faith in their justice system.

Thousands are planning to march in the streets this Sunday—International Women's Day. Organizers expect marchers to include families of victims, masked female activists, who themselves have been targeted, as well as many upper-crust Mexicans.

The call to stage the "Day Without Us" on the Monday following the march was quickly embraced by female lawyers at multiple firms. Close to a dozen law firms in Mexico have stated publicly that they will support the effort by not retaliating against women who are absent, actively encouraging women to participate and designating male co-workers to cover for female employees while they're gone.

Mexican firm Santamarina + Steta, for example, expects its entire female staff to become "invisible" that day. Basham, Ringe y Correa—the Lex Mundi representative in Mexico—flat-out asked its female employees not to show up to work March 9.

Hogan Lovells is encouraging, but not forcing, female employees to participate in the mock disappearance.

"It would do us all good to feel that void," said Torres-Landa, describing both the rising violence and fragility of the Mexican legal system as issues that are crying out for greater visibility.

Hogan Lovells partner Brenda Rogel, who is on maternity leave, plans to observe the strike by asking her mother to stay home rather than help with her three children, and by giving domestic help the day off as well.

"This is a moment to make a strong statement about gender violence," said Rogel, who advises clients on environmental liability and risk assessment.

Companies ranging from media conglomerates to major banks are endorsing the women's strike. Going silent, even for a day, will come at a cost. Mexican business chamber Coparmex estimates that the work stoppage will result in financial losses of more than $300 million just in the capital of Mexico City.

Even so, the chamber is encouraging companies to participate, saying the financial losses are minor given the gravity of the situation. Coparmex also expressed optimism that the strike will inspire a change in mindsets that results in more women working and contributing to the economic development of the megalopolis. Women account for just under half of those employed in the city of 9 million.

"We are full of rage as a society," Leonor Quiroz, a lawyer and national delegate for inclusion and equality at Coparmex, said in a video message. "It's not just a sick man that's killing us—it's a whole system."

The challenge now, lawyers say, is to turn the call to march and strike into real action that can erode the machismo and gender bias that plagues Mexico. Half of the women murdered in Mexico are killed by their own domestic partners. At the same time, Mexican institutions lack the budget, sensitivity and often desire to punish the perpetrators.

"This is an eye-opener for Mexico. This is long overdue—the uproar, the cause itself and also the march," said Enrique González Calvillo, founding partner of González Calvillo, one of the first Mexican law firms to join the strike.

González Calvillo expects that over 100 women at his firm will observe the strike, sending the message, "Imagine your life without me," while the rest of the office remains open for business. González Calvillo says his firm, which handles M&A and other transactions largely for non-Mexican companies, employs more women than men—a reflection of the changing gender profile of corporate counsel and clients.

"It's important for us to experience not having that part of the team, suffering the absence," he said.