On October 3rd, the York Student Think Tank Society hosted their event ‘Women, Poverty, and Social Policy’ featuring two guest speakers, Professor Maxine Molyneux and Susanna Berruecos. Both experts shed light on the pressing issues faced by women in Latin America, providing invaluable insights into the political landscape and societal challenges in the region. Latin America, despite being a region that has made some of the most progress in women’s rights, is still a difficult place to be a woman with high rates of gendered violence and a persistently patriarchal society. The misogyny in Latin America manifests in a disparity in the kinds of work women do compared to men, with women being overrepresented in informal and care work, on top of a gender pay gap. Economic vulnerability, barriers to education for indigenous girls and the dagger of violence are all issues being faced by women in Latin America.
Susanna Berruecos, who was born and raised in Mexico, brought a personal perspective to the discussion. As the Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Canning House – a prominent forum dedicated to Latin America – Berruecos emphasised the necessity of raising awareness about the complexities of women's issues in the region. Her presentation came at a pivotal moment, just two days after the inauguration of Mexico's first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
Berruecos highlighted the importance of Sheinbaum's presidency, not only as a groundbreaking political milestone, but also as a source of inspiration for young women and girls in Latin America. She discussed how increased visibility of women in political roles can have profound psychological and cultural impacts, fostering a new generation of women empowered to create positive change for themselves.
The event also delved into the ongoing struggles for gender equality and the urgent need for a feminist cultural shift in Latin America. Berruecos underscored the importance of policy changes that prioritise women's rights, referencing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for evaluating progress. She painted a picture of the challenges that remain but also illustrated the amount of progress that has been made in the region.
Berruecos highlighted Argentina as an example of the progress that has been made but also the level of resistance to progress for women’s rights and gender equality. The NiUnaMenos (meaning ‘Not One Less’ in English) campaign had Argentina at its forefront in 2015, campaigning against gendered violence. It's a movement that some credit with contributing to the legalisation of abortion in Argentina, legislation that was overturned three years later in 2023 by Milei, the current president.
The discussions at the event served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggles women face in Latin America, but also of the hope and resilience that drives the movement for gender equality forward.
After the presentation, I had the opportunity to speak with Berruecos and delve deeper into the obstacles to women’s political participation in Latin America. When asked which challenges require immediate attention, Berruecos pointed to the rise of far-right governments and populism. This trend is not exclusive to Latin America however and those concerned about women’s rights should be wary of the impact of the populist far right in the West, with the erosion of reproductive rights already taking place in the US; following the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, and Trump's victory in the election. Berruecos insisted that a democratic system strong enough to withstand populism is essential to facilitate women’s participation in politics.
I asked why there seems to be such a high level of gendered violence in Latin America, particularly femicide in Mexico. Her response was that although the numbers are shocking the increase is likely due an increase in reporting violence, stemming from a sense of empowerment that has been fostered by women in the region. There seems to be a generational shift offering hope in Latin America, with women becoming increasingly active in their efforts to dismantle patriarchal systems.
Molyneux’s talk focused on Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), a type of financial programme aiming to aid development and relieve poverty by giving cash payments to families if they meet certain conditions, such as regular school attendance and clinic visits for children. She particularly focused on the gendered effects of CCT policies. Speaking of experiences from her time researching in Latin America, Molyneux shared stories of women queuing up for their CCT payments showing signs of abuse, the lack of respect shown by administrators towards recipients and women walking all day to queue for hours in order to receive their payments. Molyneux spoke with a personal understanding of the issues and benefits of CCTs and presented the issue not through a purely economic lens, but with a humanising approach.
In our discussion after the presentations, I asked her if any lessons could be learned from the CCT systems in Latin America that would be applicable to the welfare state in the UK. Whilst acknowledging that our own welfare system in the UK is very developed compared to many other countries, she outlined how the same issues that apply to CCT programmes can be seen in the UK: the most vulnerable being left behind by the system, the burden on women to deal with childcare payments, and the lack of public services to support those receiving welfare.
Both speakers emphasised the importance of women’s voices in bettering the situation for women in Latin America, in articulating their needs to the state or asserting their position in politics. From the other side of the world the issues of women in Latin America may feel alien but we face many of the same challenges here. The wave of far right politics is here in Europe and our welfare system is failing to properly support vulnerable women. The shared struggles of women globally highlight the need for international solidarity within the feminist movement, as well as offering a new perspective to challenge European-centric feminism. That is why resources like Canning House and events like this held by the YSTT are so important. I encourage other students to take advantage of similar opportunities to learn more about the world we live in.
