A mass protest movement denouncing the sexual repression of women has heralded a Feminist Spring in Latin America, according to Chatham House.
Violence against women has a long history in patriarchal societies in which misogyny is rife and Latin America is recognized as the deadliest place for women and girls in the world with the highest rates of femicide.
Nationwide protests under the slogan Ni Una a Menos (Not one woman less) brought hundreds of thousands of women and girls on to the streets as part of a growing political force that rapidly spilled over into neighboring countries. In the years that followed, the campaign continued to make waves in the region, leading to Argentina’s first women’s mass strike.
Through the use of hashtags such as #vivasnosqueremos (we want us alive) and #nosotrasparamos (we stop), young women helped call attention to a culture of machismo and gender-based violence.
With the spread of feminist ideas, different sectors of society, including younger generations of activists, are using new methods to encourage change
These are particularly challenging times for women in Latin America. Rather than back off, however, they continue to join forces to make their voices heard. From the streets to the virtual online space, old and new generations have found ways to connect allowing them to engage in a continuous struggle towards gender equality.
