Tens of thousands marched in Buenos Aires (above) and in 20 other cities in Argentina Sept. 28 to demand a woman’s right to choose abortion. A law to decriminalize most abortions was defeated by a narrow margin in the Argentine Senate Aug. 9. “We are relaunching the offensive,” Victoria Tesoriero from Catholics for Choice told the press.
Predominantly young and female, the protesters sang, chanted, and beat on drums along the march route, a sea of green, the color of the pro-choice movement. “Abortion must be legal and in the hospital,” and “It’s my body, I decide,” were popular chants. “Separation of church and state,” “Not a single woman should die from back alley abortions,” and “For safe, legal and free abortions” were among the slogans on banners.
Back alley abortions are the leading cause of maternal death in Argentina.
“The struggle continues, we are staying in the street ever since that handful of dinosaurs in the Senate decided to not give us the law,” one young protester told Agence France-Presse. “We women are dying, it’s essential to take to the streets.”
There were also protests of thousands in El Salvador, Mexico City, Dublin and elsewhere, part of the International Day of Action of Legal, Safe and Free Abortion. Inspired by the movement in Argentina, many protesters in Mexico also dressed in green.