In 1993, the femicide of 13-year-old Alma Chavira Farel was reported to the police of Ciudad Juarez. This report marked the beginning of an investigation that discovered “Las Muertas de Juarez” (The Dead Women of Juarez) and that brought to light the violence that women suffer in Mexico. This situation incited the women to mobilize by adopting the movement of “Ni Una Menos” (Not one woman less) in 2016.
The “Ni Una Menos” movement demands that the government take an active role in the problem of gender violence in the country. By doing this, the “Ni Una Menos” movement drew attention to the case of abortions in Mexico that, according to the General Direction of Epidemiology, are the fifth cause of death for mothers in the country. This situation also brought the women of Mexico into adopting the pro-choice movement of “La Marea Verde” (The Green Wave) in 2018.
“La Marea Verde” had its biggest demonstration in 2018. In this mobilization, the women demanded Sexual Education to chose; Contraceptives to avoid abortion and Legal Abortion to not die to the Mexican government. However, the mobilization did not achieve its goals as in 2018, the national chamber of representatives voted down the law proposal to legalize abortion.
Regardless of this, in 2019, the movement convinced the Mexican Supreme Court to create a “back door” to access abortion by ordering hospitals to provide one to anyone requesting it on the grounds of having been raped. Also, Oaxaca became the second state in Mexico to legalize abortion.
The fight for women’s reproductive rights in Mexico is far from over; however, it is making advancements. As such “La Marea Verde” may bring to reality their demands of reproductive rights, ensuring that “La maternidad será deseada o no será“ (Motherhood will be desired or it will not be).
