On March 8, 2023, International Women’s Day, thousands of women came together in Montevideo, Uruguay, to protest for women’s rights and gender equality. The march was led by the Feminist Intersocial and other groups joined, such as the group of women who profess Afro-based religions, which joined the mobilization for the first time. The atmosphere in the Plaza Libertad was that of a party in preparation with women writing posters, painting little girls’ faces, practicing circle dances and conversing.
However, the image that cut short this climate of brotherhood was the police surrounding the Supreme Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals to prevent vandalism. The same thing happened in the Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, with 26 police officers who positioned themselves as a barrier at the parish door to prevent an attack similar to the one in 2018, when activists threw paint bombs at it.
Despite this, the 8M 2023 edition moved away from radicalization. The climate was rather that of a fury channeled into applause, songs and the traditional indigenous cry with the hand on the mouth. The women advanced full of posters in the air, some of them said: “When I grow up I want to be a prostitute, nobody ever said”, “There is no trafficking without clients”, “My shorts are not too short, your education is”, ” What woman in your life do they have to kill to make you care?
More rights, real equality and less gender violence now!
The march led by the Intersocial Feminista and the one organized by the collectives grouped in Tejido Feminista joined in Ejido and 18 de Julio. As they joined, the drum line was heard at full volume and the women danced candombe with knowing looks. The chants redoubled: “No, they are not lost, they disappear to be prostituted.” Along with the cries of protest, the faces, in black and white, of the murdered women rose into the air. “Not one less”. Those who held them stared straight ahead without the slightest smile.
At the end of the tour, in front of the University of the Republic, the demonstrators did the classic “pañuelazo”. This time, the handkerchief was green, a symbol of the fight for the legalization of abortion. The group of women who profess Afro-based religions joined at this time and were happy to be part of the fight.
The proclamation of the Intersocial Feminista expresses that the government of Lacalle Pou boasts of “saving”, but they do so in return for investing in education, health and social protection. In other words, the government is prioritizing economic interests over human rights. The proclamation also denounced that “today, machismo continues to kill, exploit and violate”, so the fight for equality for real equality continues to be in force and is stronger than ever.