September 28th is celebrated as the Latin American and Caribbean Day of Struggle for the Decriminalization and Legalization of Abortion. On this day, marches and demonstrations take place in the countries of the region to decriminalize abortion, various feminists speak out, debates and seminars are organized, and texts and films on the subject are released.
Still in this context of honoring the fight for the right to legal and safe abortion, in which various actors and institutions are encouraging reflection and disseminating knowledge from a rights perspective, CLAM, which has been researching this subject and providing materials and spaces for debate on these issues, presents the text by activists and first responders Andrea L. González and Lidia Zurbriggen, which looks at 10 years of feminist first responder activism in Argentina.
The movement in which González and Zurbriggen work, Socorristas en Red, began in 2012, inspired by previous feminist initiatives, such as the experiences of Italians, French and Americans, who created counseling and accompaniment networks for women and pregnant women who needed abortions. Socorristas en Red works in collaboration with health professionals, following the World Health Organization’s guidelines for safer abortion practices.
The text presents various strategies used by activists to accompany women and pregnant women when they have abortions, with the aim of providing welcome, advice and safety to these people, voluntarily and free of charge.
In these processes, González and Zurbriggen highlight the importance of systematizing data, emphasizing the fundamental role of information, both for understanding reality and for producing knowledge on the subject.
The authors point out that, following the legalization of abortion in Argentina in 2020, first aid activism did not cease. On the contrary, accompaniment has intensified, revealing that the implementation of the law still faces challenges, such as resistance from conservative sectors, resistance from health professionals, as well as the difficulty of access to remote areas of the country.
Both also mention some important campaigns, such as “En un mundo justo las niñas no son madres”, which denounces the reality of girls forced to give birth, and present actions carried out during the pandemic, which show the importance of activism in times of crisis.
The work of Socorristas en Red goes beyond supporting and helping women and people who are pregnant and need to terminate their pregnancies. It seeks to transform social perceptions on the subject, promoting abortion as a safe, autonomous and feminist practice; as a right that must be guaranteed.
Access the full text presented by the Argentine rescuers Andrea L. González and Lidia Zurbriggen here.
The Argentinian activists were special guests at an event organized by CLAM in June 2023. It was a seminar entitled “Abortion and care: experiences, activism and research in Latin America”, which aimed to share journeys, lessons learned and research on activism around abortion, also considering the process of social decriminalization of abortion in Latin America, as well as support networks in the region.
(Event poster and program)
The event’s program included presentations by Argentine rescuers Andrea L. González and Lidia Zurbriggen, members of Socorristas en Red, who presented the lecture “10 años de activismo feminista socorrista. Tejiendo memorias, saberes, articulaciones y amistades políticas”, based on the text shared in this news item.
Jimena de Garay (IP/UERJ), Andrea L. González (Socorristas en Red Argentina), Lidia Zurbriggen (Socorristas en Red Argentina) and Carla de Castro Gomes (Redes da Maré; NESEG/UFRJ; PAGU/Unicamp).
In addition to the first aid workers, the seminar was attended by researchers and activists Marcelle Souza (PROLAM/USP), who presented a paper entitled “Safe and accompanied abortion in Latin America: a feminist strategy” and Alessandra Brigo (CLAM/IMS/UERJ), who gave a talk entitled “Abortion in Brazil: feminist practices of care and resistance”.
Alessandra Brigo (CLAM/IMS/UERJ), Andrea L. González (Socorristas en Red Argentina), Jimena de Garay (IP/UERJ), Lidia Zurbriggen (Socorristas en Red Argentina) and Carla Gomes (Redes da Maré; NESEG/UFRJ; PAGU/Unicamp).
The event was organized in partnership by the Latin American Center on Sexuality and Human Rights (CLAM/IMS/UERJ) and the Research Group on Subjectivities and Institutions in Folds (GEPSID/UERJ), with the support of the Center for Sexuality and Gender Studies (NESEG/PPGSA/UFRJ), Redes da Maré, Núcleo de Estudos sobre Desigualdades Contemporâneas e Relações de Gênero (NUDERG/UERJ), Núcleo de Pesquisa e Desconstrução de Gêneros (DEGENERA/UERJ) and Rede Fluminense de Núcleos de Pesquisa de Gênero, Sexualidade e Feminismos nas Ciências Sociais (REDEGEN).
The seminar was aimed at researchers and activists engaged in issues surrounding the decriminalization of abortion.
The audience at the seminar “Abortion and care: experiences, activism and research in Latin America”, held in June 2023 at the IMS/UERJ Auditorium.