MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Women take to the streets in a new November 25 against sexual and gender-based violence

In Montevideo, three large demonstrations were held, all of which took place along the most important avenue of the Uruguayan capital. Photo: FocoUy

Dozens of cities in Latin America and around the world were the scene where thousands of women marched on a new International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, better known as 25N.

Amidst the fervor and power generated by being together in the struggle for their rights against the violence and inequalities they experience on a daily basis, women marched in the streets of the region.

Every November 25, between speeches of hope and demands for change, there is an opportunity to make visible a problem that has already claimed too many victims. The alarming figures of violence reflect the real pain of thousands of women whose stories are commemorated to demand solutions.

Latin America is a region where violence against women is widespread, be it physical, psychological or sexual. On the latter type, however, the data are the least updated and researched, according to a study published by UNICEF and the University of Edinburgh in 2022.

In Montevideo, three large demonstrations were held, all of which took place along the most important avenue of the Uruguayan capital, 18 de Julio.

Femicides

In the framework of 25N, Uruguay's National Institute of Women (Inmujeres) held an event under the slogan “No more violence against women. State Priority. Citizen Responsibility”.

At the meeting, the Government institute presented “advances and challenges” of the plan “For a life free of violence 2022-2024” and the director of Inmujeres, Mónica Bottero, said that in Uruguay, around 8 out of 10 women experienced some situation of violence at some point in their lives.

Bottero said that up to November 20 this year, 25 femicides were registered in the country. As she pointed out, in 2018 there were 30; in 2019, 25; in 2020, 20; and in 2021, 25. The director remarked the Government's commitment to reduce these figures and added that there is no escalation of this crime.

On the other hand, a total of 300 femicides and 7 transfemicides were committed last year in Argentina and 338 children were left without their mother as a result of the crimes, according to a report by the “Adriana Marisel Zambrano” Observatory, Telam reported. 

Meanwhile, the Femicide Observatory of the National Ombudsman's Office counted 231 gender-motivated crimes from November 25, 2021 to date, including 190 direct femicides, 22 linked, 6 Trans people and 13 femicidal suicides.