This unaltered story [1] was originally published on OpenDemocracy.org.
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From mobilization to solidarity: The power of feminist struggles in Latin America
By: []
Date: 2021-12
This article is part of a series for the annual and global 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence published in collaboration with the Women Human Rights Defenders Middle East and North Africa (WHRDMENA) coalition as part of its #SheDefends yearly campaign. The articles reflect on the past, present and future of feminist movements and the meaning of global solidarity.
On 8 March last year, Mexico experienced one of the largest feminist protests in the country’s history. We were thousands of women and girls taking to the streets of Mexico City and cities elsewhere in the country. Our demands were clear: the end of femicides and respect for our human rights. We were determined not to be silenced anymore. Little did we know the world was about to change dramatically. An unprecedented pandemic, with devastating effects on women, was declared a few days after.
Women in the Americas know a lot about pandemics, including the pandemics of violence, discrimination and impunity. The annual ‘16 Days of activism against gender-based violence’ campaign offers an opportunity to reflect on the challenges ahead, but also to be inspired by the resistance, resilience, power and solidarity of women’s rights and feminist movements across borders.
All over the world, there has been some progress in relation to women’s human rights and gender equality. Those changes are the result of the pressure and tireless efforts of women's rights movements, which get inspiration from one another despite the long distances and contextual differences between them.
Over the past decade, we have seen synergies built among feminist collectives from different parts of the globe, especially those from Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Maybe because our realities have more in common than what we believe, and because recent progress, unfortunately, hasn't translated yet into substantial transformation in the lives of women and girls.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, as in the MENA, many threats are still present. Perhaps the most serious are those of patriarchal violence. This violence continues to increase, especially against women from historically marginalized communities who suffer multiple forms of discrimination, such as Indigenous and Black women, rural women, sex workers, lesbians, bisexual and Trans women, among others.
Devastating facts
Every two hours, a woman is murdered in Latin America and the Caribbean. Measures to protect women and girls are inadequate throughout the region, while investigations into gender-based violence cases – including domestic violence, rape, homicide and femicide – are often insufficient or simply dismissed.
One of the worst-affected countries is Mexico. In 2021 alone, by the end of September, there had been 2,104 killings of women, of which 736 were investigated as femicides, according to the country’s National Public Security System.
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