The Struggle to Legalize Abortion in Argentina

On December 30, 2020, the Argentine Senate voted to legalize abortion until the 14th week. The road to legalization was paved with the sweat, tears, and devotion of activists who spent much of their lives protesting for change in the streets. Who were the women who fought for legal abortion? Why did the movement succeed after years of struggle? What happens next in Argentina, and across the region?

Join us for the April International Film Club from IRIS NRC, featuring Pulitzer Grantee Natalie Alcoba. Before attending this online event, participants are encouraged to watch the documentary "Que Sea Ley /Let it be Law." Additionally, please watch Natalie Alcoba’s short video report on the topic here. "Que Sea Ley" narrates the struggle for legal abortion in Argentina, through a journey of more than 5,000 kilometres, accompanied by the victims’ brave testimonies and the key female voices of those who played the lead part in this memorable voyage.

Natalie Alcoba is an Argentine-Canadian journalist based in Buenos Aires. She writes for numerous international publications including the New York Times, the Guardian, Al Jazeera, the Globe and Mail, and VICE. She is interested in collective organization in Latin America and how resistance and community are forged on the so-called margins. She has reported on inflation, trans rights, the impact of the pandemic on women workers, land occupations, and the legalization of abortion in Argentina.

This event is co-sponsored with Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Program at UW-Madison, Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies at UW-Milwaukee, and the Pulitzer Center.