Thousands of women rallied against gender-based violence in Mexico City on International Women’s Day. Many chose to stay away from their places of work to make their absence felt.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/I. Guzman
Advertisement
Mexico's women protest with a general strike
On International Women's Day this year, millions of women across Latin America took to the street to protest against machismo and patriarchy. And on Monday, many Mexican women went on strike to highlight these problems.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Bernetti
More than 10 women are killed each day
In Latin America, violence against women is widespread. On average, more than 10 women are killed on the continent each day. This feminicidio, as it is known, on Sunday led Mexican activists to commemorate 3,000 killed women by writing their names on Mexico City's Constitution Square.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/R. Blackwell
'A day without us'
On the following Monday, many Mexican women showed solidarity with those who have been killed by putting down their work or refusing to do domestic chores — as this almost empty women-only bus from the capital city illustrates.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Ugarte
Growing awareness
Women are subjected to violence not only in public or at work, but above all at home, as sociologist Claudia Lozano explains. She says the women's movement has "transformed a private problem into a public one." Mexico, meanwhile, is not the only country struggling with this issue.
Image: Reuters/M. Freyria
'You Are the Rapist'
Some 2 million people turned out on March 8 in Chile to protest against femicide, according to organizers. Many gathered on Monday morning to continue protesting. And a march is planned for Monday evening. Feminist art collective LasTesis, who released a song called "You Are the Rapist," have been particularly outspoken about the problem.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/E. Felix
Brazilians protest against patriarchy — and the president
Far fewer people gathered in Brazilian cities to protest women's rights, with only a few thousand taking to the streets. And even though the country has adopted tougher laws to combat domestic violence against women and femicide, Brazilian society remains patriarchal. This is indicated by the election of President Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly made misogynistic remarks in public.
Image: Reuters/A. Perobelli
Calls for abortion to be legalized
Activists have been calling for abortion to be legalized. In Latin America, roughly one-third of all pregnancies are aborted. But because the practice remains illegal, hundreds of thousands of women have to get medical treatment after undergoing abortions conducted by non-professionals. Not everyone, however, agrees that the practice should be legalized.
Image: Reuters/M. Greif
Yes to life
On Sunday, several thousand Argentinians gathered in Buenos Aires to celebrate mass with the city's archbishop under the motto, "Yes to women, Yes to Life." Those who took to the streets protested against Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez' initiative to make abortions within the first few weeks legal.
Image: Getty Images
'Not one less'
Argentina birthed the feminist Ni una menos, or "Not one less (woman)," movement which since spread to other Latin American countries. In particular, it highlights the scourge of sexualized violence against women.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/E. Abramovich
8 images1 | 8
Thousands of women across Latin America took to the streets on Monday — the day after International Women's Day — to register their protest against increased gender violence and discrimination,
This strike, referred to by many as "a day without us," aimed to showcase a world where women disappear from society. Many Mexican women stayed away from their places of work.
"If women are worth nothing in Mexico, then Mexico will be left without what we produce and consume," read a statement by the groups who organized the strike.
On average, 10 women are murdered in Mexico every day. Anger over such gender-based violence reached the boiling point this year after the body of 25-year-old Ingrid Escamilla was found disfigured. In another notorious instance, 7-year-old Fatima Cecilia Aldrighett Anton was kidnapped from outside her school, only to be found dead in a plastic bag.
The streets of Mexico City were virtually empty even during rush hour on Monday, while public transport reserved for women was deserted. This was a stark difference from just the day before when close to 80,000 women came out on the streets of the city to reclaim public spaces.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Estrella
Those who chose to take part in the strike included female students, office workers, government employees and others. Many women who went to work on Monday chose to wear a purple ribbon or article of clothing to showcase their solidarity to the cause of the strike.
However, for some women, staying at home was not an option.
"For me staying at home is not the solution — many women are mistreated in the home," said Berta, a restaurant employee who chose to come into work. "I think there are other ways of making changes in society as such educating men."
Women in other Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Chile, also joined Mexico in staging a strike on Monday.
