In 2020, Argentina took a historic step by passing a law which guarantees the right to abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy and in certain circumstances, with no time limit. It was a globally celebrated feminist victory, initiated many years before, which gave rise to the ‘green wave’ movement across Latin America.
The impact of this new law has been clear: more than 245,000 people accessed safe abortions1 in the public health system in the first two years of implementation, and deaths from abortion decreased by more than 50%. These official data confirmed what feminist movements had been arguing for decades: guaranteeing the right to abortion saves lives.
But today, that achievement is at risk.
A setback that affects lives.
Since taking office in December 2023, Javier Milei’s government has openly spoken against abortion rights and the so called ‘gender agenda’. This discourse generates stigma, misinformation and fear. It also fuels the idea that rights can be ‘revised’ or conditioned.
On the ground, this translates into concrete obstacles: defunding of public policies, lack of supplies, uncertainty in the health system, and political harassment of professionals who guarantee rights.
A key example is the dismantling of the Plan for the Prevention of Unintended Pregnancy in Adolescents (ENIA), a comprehensive policy that reduced unwanted pregnancies in girls and adolescents by almost 50% since its implementation in 2018, until its gradual dismantling beginning in December 2023. Its discontinuation is not only a setback for health: it is a direct blow to the autonomy of adolescents.
When the state takes a step backwards, inequalities deepen. And those who bear the worst consequences are always the same: women, girls and people with the capacity to gestate, especially those in vulnerable situations.
Litigating to uphold rights.
In this context, Argentine civil society organisations continue to work together, intensifying our litigation strategies in defence of democratic institutions, public health and the rights of girls, women and adolescents in all their diversity. We therefore demand that the national government:
- Ensure transparency and accountability in sexual and reproductive health policies.
- Provide equitable and sufficient distribution of supplies to guarantee access to abortion and contraception.
- Review candidates who oppose rights: we challenge the appointment of judges who threaten the rights we have won.
- Eradicate institutional violence in access to abortion, criminalisation and barriers to access to justice.
The right to choose is not upheld solely by the force of law. It is defended every day, in health centres and in courts.
Culture, memory and hope: the premiere of the film Belén.
Amid this challenging context, Argentina also offers signs of resistance.
One of them is the recent launch of the film Belén, based on the true story of a young woman from Tucumán who was criminalised after an obstetric event and the tireless struggle of Soledad Deza, her defence lawyer who, supported by the entire national feminist movement, secured Belén’s release.
Her story, like that of many women unjustly persecuted for abortions or obstetric emergencies, reminds us that criminalisation is not theoretical: it has a face and devastating real-life consequences.
In a regressive situation, Belén serves as a reminder, a way of raising awareness, and a source of hope. It is a work that recovers the power of the green tide and the role of the feminist movement in winning and defending rights. It invites society not to back down, to empathise, and to sustain the progress made.
The fact that this film is being released at a time when the Argentinian government is speaking out against the right to abortion, gender equality and comprehensive sex education, is an important political and cultural act. It is now available to view online via the Prime Video platform, and we urge you to watch it to learn more about the reality of abortion in Argentina.
Looking beyond Argentina.
Argentina’s regression is not an isolated event. We are living in a global moment where conservative movements are advancing and seeking to control the bodies and decisions of women and pregnant people.
However, we also know that feminist networks transcend borders. The green wave is an international symbol, and our experience shows that organisation, evidence, and solidarity can transform realities.
As long as inequality exists, resistance will exist.
Defending the right to abortion is not only about defending autonomy, equality and dignity, it is also about defending democracy.
Today, in Argentina, we must redouble our strategies, insist on proper implementation of the law, accompany those who need it, and sustain the collective voice that brought us here.
The setbacks are real, but our history shows that feminist achievements cannot be erased: they must be defended.
And, as Belén teaches us, every story told and every right exercised paves the way for those who come after us.
By Patricia Sotile, member of the legal department of the Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA), a SAAF grantee partner in Argentina.
Photo: Lina Etchesuri
- Dirección Nacional de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Ministerio de Salud de Nación, Implementar IVE-ILE, Ley 27.610, años 2021, 2022 e informe actualizado a 2023.