Gender violence in Argentina : the role of women in support and prevention mechanisms from civil society to gender policy-making

Abstract

In May 2015, the brutal killing of 14-year-old Chiara Páez by the hand of her boyfriend, horrified Argentina and led to the powerful women’s movement #NiUnaMenos’ demand for support and prevention solutions. The killing of Chiara Páez was the ultimate act of continuous episodes of violence against women, taking place both in public and private spaces. The purpose of this thesis: “Gender violence in Argentina: The role of women in support and prevention mechanisms from civil society to gender policy-making” is to investigate the role of women as stakeholders in the realization of prevention and support mechanisms to tackle and eradicate violence against women in all its forms. Argentina, because of its high number of femicides and strong female activism, serves as an example to explain the issue of femicide as a grave social phenomenon and the changes women may obtain in public policy.

Although, Argentina enjoys great female political representation, women face challenges of structural and cultural violence on daily basis. UN Women has expressed deep concern towards the situation of gender-based violence in Argentina, which endure as well in Latin America and beyond. According to the UN, violence against women affects individuals on a personal level, but also society as a whole, which results “to have a high price in lost progress for each country” (UN Women, 2016).