XXI Women's Conference in Argentina Begins Preperation

From the 14-16 of October 2006, thousands of women across Argentina will unite in the northern city San Salvador in Jujuy for the XXI Women's Conference to discuss the fight for women's rights in that nation. They will discuss the legalization of abortion to the rights of battered women and the struggles of working class women.

Controversy is always present, since conservative Catholics and individuals seeing such discussion as a threat to the family structure have caused disruption in the past.

Since the 2001 economic crisis in Argentina plundered, women were the hardest hit and pushed them to radicalize further than other women across the Americas. Women were the first to be laid-off but continue to be primary caretaker of children. Women in Argentina have a higher education level, and thus more independent.

The first women's conference took place in 1980 with 1,000 women present.

In last year's conference in 2005 in the city of Mar de Plata, some 30,000 women participated.

In Argentina, abortion is illegal and punishable by time in prison. A court may allow abortion only in the case of rape or if a woman’s life is in danger.

Nonetheless, it is estimated that in Argentina about 4 out of 10 pregnancies are terminated by abortion. According to the country’s health ministry, as many as 500,000 Argentine women have abortions every year. The top cause of maternal death in the country—about 80 percent of such deaths—is complications from abortion. In the last half-decade, hospital admissions from botched abortions have risen substantially in a number of provinces. About 500 women die from such abortions every year, and 16,000 women suffer serious permanent physical damage, according to Gines González García, Argentina’s health minister.

For these women, the main question is not promoting abortion, but a woman has the right to make that personal choice without facing death, bodily harm or persecussion.

A delegation of women from the U.S. or any other country would have an impact. We also can learn a lot from these women!!!

Further reading:
XX Women's Conference
IXX Women's Conference
Uruguay Senate Rejects Bill; Chile Legalizes Divorce
March 8: International Women's Day
Feminist Books (English)
Libros Femenistas (Español)