“Violence against women continues to be a persistent and serious problem,” says Magdymar León Torrealba, coordinator of the Venezuelan Association for Alternative Sexual Education
“It is time to disobedience the patriarchy.”
“The fire is ours.” “We are all workers.”
“In the face of financial discipline, feminist rebellion.” “We are moved by desire, now and always.”
These are some of the slogans that can be read on the official website of the Ni Una Menos (Not One of us Less) Movement of Argentina, recognized as a pioneer on the continent in the fight for women’s rights..
Now, what is the current state of feminisms in Latin America?
“It is a moment of relaunching the organizational plots, after a moment of great mass that was seriously affected by the pandemic” of covid-19, analyzes sociologist Luci Cavallero, national representative of the Ni Una Menos collective, in dialogue with DW.
“The great economic crisis that many countries in the region are going through, with such a profound attack on living conditions, makes it very difficult to sustain organizational bodies,” she adds.
And that’s not all. According to its members, there are also other factors that condition the actions of feminisms today.
“One of the biggest challenges facing the movement is to move against the current, in a context where authoritarianism is strengthening,” says Liz Meléndez, executive director of the Flora Tristán Peruvian Women’s Center in an interview with DW.
In the same sense, Cavallero warns about “the emergence of far-right movements, and even governments, that are deploying policies of stigmatization and violence against the feminist movement.”
Feminisms vs. conservative groups
“It is essential to confront the advance of conservative groups that seek to stop, and even reverse, the advances in the recognition and guarantee of sexual and reproductive rights, and comprehensive sexual education,” agrees the Venezuelan feminist psychologist Magdymar León. Torrealba, consulted by DW.
“These groups, which include evangelical churches, maintain permanent work against the advances of the feminist agenda. They operate in an articulated manner in the region and also have financial resources that allow them to carry out this work,” says the coordinator of the Venezuelan Association for Alternative Sexual Education (Avesa) from Caracas.
It is essential to incorporate men
However, the challenges faced by feminisms do not end there nor do they only concern women.
“Violence against women continues to be a persistent and serious problem: incorporating men in the process of transforming this reality is essential,” says León Torrealba.
And also “deepening collaboration with other social movements” should be part of the movement’s list of goals, according to the Peruvian feminist.
“Which implies removing gender inequality from the niche where it has been placed and linking it with a more comprehensive and universal vision,” she explains.
“It is time for disobedience to patriarchy,” condenses one of the slogans of the “Ni Una Menos” Collective of Argentina. Image: Marcos Brindicci/AP Photo/picture allianc
“Feminism must continue to criticize colonialism and the various forms of inequality that affect everyone’s daily lives,” she asserts. As a balance
With historical perspective, the movement also has a long list of objectives achieved.
“One of the most recent achievements has been to place women’s right to decide strongly on the public and political agenda through the legalization of voluntary interruption of pregnancy, making it effective in several countries in the region,” he highlights. Melendez.
Likewise, “the care agenda has gained great visibility and relevance, especially after the post-pandemic period,” she highlights.
“We have managed to sensitize the population in relation to gender violence, we have massified the movement, and we have managed to do pedagogy on the economic conditions of gender-based violence,” adds Cavallero from Buenos Aires.
Regarding the difficulties, they are confident in the forces of the movement.
“I am optimistic because I have seen it grow from the grassroots,” summarizes the Argentine leader. “It has extraordinary potential,” says Meléndez for her part. “It is a living and deeply transformative movement,” she concludes.
“Los grupos conservadores pretenden frenar los avances en el reconocimiento de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos”, alertan expertas feministas. “Los autoritarismos se están fortaleciendo”, aseguran.
“Las violencias contra las mujeres siguen siendo un problema persistente y grave”, sostiene Magdymar León Torrealba, coordinadora de la Asociación Venezolana para una Educación Sexual Alternativa.Imagen: VANESSA JIMENEZ/AFP/Getty Images
“Es tiempo de desobediencia al patriarcado”. “El fuego es nuestro”. “Trabajadoras somos todas”. “Frente al disciplinamiento financiero, rebeldía feminista”. “Nos mueve el deseo, ahora y siempre”.
Estas son algunas de las consignas que pueden leerse en la página oficial del Movimiento Ni Una Menos de Argentina, reconocido como pionero en el continente en la lucha por los derechos de las mujeres.
Ahora bien, ¿cuál es el estado actual de los feminismos en América Latina?
“Es un momento de relanzamiento de las tramas de organización, después de un momento de mucha masividad que fue afectado seriamente por la pandemia” de covid-19, analiza en diálogo con DW la socióloga Luci Cavallero, referente nacional del colectivo Ni Una Menos.
“La gran crisis económica que atraviesan muchos países de la región, con un ataque tan profundo a las condiciones de vida, hace muy difícil sostener las instancias de organización”, agrega.
Y no es todo. Según sus integrantes, también hay otros factores que condicionan el accionar de los feminismos en la actualidad.
“Uno de los mayores desafíos que enfrenta el movimiento es avanzar en contra de la corriente, en un contexto donde los autoritarismos se están fortaleciendo”, afirma Liz Meléndez, directora ejecutiva del Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán en entrevista con DW.
En el mismo sentido, Cavallero alerta sobre “la aparición de movimientos, e incluso gobiernos, de ultraderecha que están desplegando políticas de estigmatización y violencia contra el movimiento feminista”.
Feminismos vs. grupos conservadores
“Es imprescindible hacer frente a la avanzada de los grupos conservadores que pretenden frenar, e incluso echar atrás, los avances en el reconocimiento y garantía de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos, y de la educación sexual integral”, coincide la psicóloga feminista venezolana Magdymar León Torrealba, consultada por DW.
“Estos grupos, entre los que se incluyen las iglesias evangélicas, mantienen un trabajo permanente en contra de los avances de la agenda feminista. Operan de manera articulada en la región y además poseen recursos financieros que les permiten llevar adelante este trabajo”, apunta desde Caracas la coordinadora de la Asociación Venezolana para una Educación Sexual Alternativa (Avesa).
Imprescindible incorporar a los hombres
Con todo, los desafíos que enfrentan los feminismos no acaban allí ni atañen solo a las mujeres.
“Las violencias contra las mujeres siguen siendo un problema persistente y grave: incorporar a los hombres en el proceso de transformación de esta realidad es imprescindible”, asegura León Torrealba.
Y también “profundizar la colaboración con otros movimientos sociales” debería integrar la lista de metas del movimiento, según la feminista peruana. “Lo cual implica sacar la desigualdad de género del nicho donde se le ha querido colocar y vincularla con una visión más integral y universal”, explica.
“Es tiempo de desobediencia al patriarcado”, condensa una de las consignas del Colectivo “Ni Una Menos” de Argentina. Imagen: Marcos Brindicci/AP Photo/picture alliance
“El feminismo debe continuar criticando el colonialismo y las diversas formas de desigualdad que afectan la vida cotidiana de todos”, asevera.
A modo de balance
Con perspectiva histórica, el movimiento también contabiliza una larga lista de objetivos alcanzados. “Uno de los logros más recientes ha sido colocar fuertemente en la agenda pública y política el derecho de las mujeres a decidir a través de la legalización de la interrupción voluntaria del embarazo, logrando que se haga efectivo en varios países de la región”, destaca Meléndez.
Asimismo, “la agenda de cuidados ha cobrado una gran visibilización y relevancia, especialmente tras el período postpandémico”, resalta.
“Hemos conseguido sensibilizar a la población en relación con la violencia de género, hemos masificado el movimiento, y hemos logrado hacer pedagogía sobre los condicionantes económicos de la violencia por razones de género”, suma Cavallero desde Buenos Aires.
Sobre las dificultades, se muestran confiadas en las fuerzas del movimiento. “Soy optimista porque lo he visto crecer desde las bases”, resume la referente argentina. “Tiene un potencial extraordinario”, afirma Meléndez por su parte. “Es un movimiento vivo y profundamente transformador”, concluye.
He was the subject of §129b proceedings and was convicted of “membership of the PKK”. He was not even charged with an individual offense.
The public prosecutor’s office demanded a prison sentence of 5 years.
Since Ali Özel was forced to leave his home country in 1994, he has continued to persistently campaign for Kurdish rights in Germany. He will now have to go to prison for the third time for his commitment, which has been systematically criminalized as terrorism.
Two Kurdish activists were already sentenced last week: Sabri Çimen for 3 years and Tahir Köçer for 2.5 years.
It is obvious that these trials are not about justice, but about the enforcement of political interests.
Israel bombs Rafah despite UN resolution for immediate ceasefire
Children are traumatised by seeing the mutilated bodies of their families.
A few days ago, a resolution for an immediate ceasefire was passed in the UN Security Council for the first time since the beginning of the Gaza war, which, in addition to the ceasefire by the end of Ramadan, includes the release of the hostages and the delivery of relief materials.
The USA, which had previously blocked such resolutions, abstained this time.
However, there is no reaction or implication from Israel.
Confirmed leak.. The US terrorist regime is ‘secretly’ sending 1,600 more 2000 lb bombs free to Israeli mass murderers, ..plus Jets worth $billions in public money.
While the IDF is sticking to its plans to invade Rafah, Israeli fighter-bombers are already bombing the region from the air. Since the beginning of the war, at least 32,500 people have been murdered and 74,000 injured.
Furthermore, the region remains on the verge of extreme famine.
Without enforcement or consequences for the Israeli state, the UN resolution remains just empty words and offers no reason for hope for the Palestinian population.
@Jugendinfo
1000’s of innocent children are still being blown to bits despite worldwide condemnation of Israel’s nazi campaign
Look what they put us through for nothing. We have been conned. I wonder how the vaccinated feel once they realize they have been duped into being the guinea pigs for genetic experimentation.
La estación naval de Mahón, en la isla de Menorca, será una de las bases españolas que participen en la Operación Sea Guardian de la Alianza Atlántica, ·enfocada en el conocimiento del entorno marítimo para disuadir y luchar contra el terrorismo, así como mitigar el resto de amenazas». Será la tercera base de la OTAN […]
“He who controls the past, controls the future,” wrote a young Georgian radical called Joseph Jughashvilli in 1930.
He is better known to history as Stalin – the man of Steel; his point was that terrorism, propaganda, fear of retribution and untrammelled media access [he was a politically ideological newspaper editor by trade] could re-write […]
The Free 