Latin American and Caribbean governments gathered in Montevideo for a United Nations conference amid growing concerns about the erosion of women’s rights across the region. Organized under the banner of the Regional Conference on Population and Development (CRPD), the event was driven by alarm from organizations such as Amnesty International, which have highlighted a troubling rollback of protections for women, girls, and adolescents. The conference, held from August 18-20, aimed to encourage governments to fully honor the Montevideo Consensus, a vital regional agreement on human rights addressing numerous demographic groups, including by gender and age.
The Montevideo Consensus is seen as a crucial framework to combat challenges such as gender-based violence, femicide, child marriage, and restrictive reproductive policies, which continue to impede advancements in women’s health and rights. Amnesty International emphasized the need for robust implementation of laws and policies that not only protect but actively advance these rights. Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Director, stressed that the Montevideo Consensus must function as a practical roadmap rather than a symbolic gesture. Her call for concrete action and resource allocation echoes the pressing need to defend against the institutionalized inequities that women face.
Recent initiatives by organizations like UN Women have sought to bolster political and economic participation for women, alongside tackling gender-based violence through the Belém do Pará Convention. Advocacy efforts by movements such as the Girls, Not Mothers campaign continue to highlight the importance of addressing and mitigating gender inequality. The push is to ensure that every woman and girl can make choices about their bodies without coercion, and that survivors of violence receive necessary state support and protection.
Commentary from experts suggests that the evolving landscape for women’s rights in the region requires international and local collaborations to implement effective accountability mechanisms to safeguard these advances. By responding to the calls from international human rights watchdogs, the conference seeks a renewed commitment from Latin American and Caribbean states to invigorate protections, ensuring they do not become subject to further erosion. More on the context and developments of the Montevideo talks is available here.