Argentina: Insights, Resistance, and Human Rights Violations Amid Milei’s Regressive Political Crisis

Argentina is undergoing one of its most challenging regressive political and economic transformations under President Javier Milei. Milei’s harsh austerity measures have led to increased unemployment, deepening poverty, and a significant rollback of human rights protections and achievemments. Feminist and grassroots movements, once again, are leading the resistance against these injustices.

Targeting Feminism and Human Rights

One of Milei’s most controversial actions has been the dismantling of feminist policies. His administration has:

• Closed the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversities.
• Defunded gender-based violence prevention programs.
• Threatened to repeal Argentina’s historic abortion legalization law.
• Launched attacks on feminist organizations and LGBTQ+ rights.

Milei’s views on feminism are not confined to Argentina’s borders. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, he expanded his criticism of feminist policies, describing them as part of a “radical agenda” that only increases state intervention and bureaucracy. He argued that these policies “hinder the economic process” and provide jobs for bureaucrats who, in his view, have contributed nothing to society. He pointed to women’s ministries and international agencies dedicated to the feminist agenda as prime examples of this supposed inefficiency.

However, Milei’s sweeping critique is contradicted by hard facts. The policies he seeks to dismantle have had a significant, positive impact on Argentine society. His disdain for these initiatives overlooks the substantial benefits they brought, particularly to women and LGTBI+ individuals (click here for more info.)

The Federal March for LGBTQI+ Anti-Fascist and Anti-Racist Pride that took place on Saturday 1 February called people to take to the streets in more than 100 locations in Argentina and several cities around the world. It was one of the immediate and forceful responses to President Javier Milei’s speech in Davos, loaded with anti-woke rhetoric, misinformation, prejudice, lies and attacks on sexual diversity, on Thursday 23 January. 

See here the media coverage by Marcha Noticias (Instagram @marchaorgar ) and Chirimbote (Instagram @chirimbote ).

 

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The Achievements Under Feminist Policies

Despite Milei’s efforts to dismantle them, feminist policies in Argentina have led to important advancements in gender equality:

• Teenage Pregnancies: Government-supported programs helped reduce unintentional teenage pregnancies by 50%.
• Abortion Legalization: The landmark decision to legalize abortion halved maternal deaths in Argentina.
• LGBTQ+ Rights: Legal victories such as the Gender Identity Law, equal marriage, and the Trans Labor Quota have provided much-needed recognition, protection, and rights to marginalized communities.

Under the feminist policies of recent years, Argentina made strides in areas that were crucial to gender equality. The introduction of various programs and laws helped to empower women and reduce gender disparities in key areas of life. One of the most notable achievements was the reduction of unintentional teenage pregnancies by 50%, thanks to a government-supported initiative that has now lost funding under Milei’s administration.

In addition, the legalization of abortion in Argentina — a landmark decision — contributed to halving the number of maternal deaths in the country. These statistics alone speak volumes about the life-saving importance of these policies. Unfortunately, Milei’s government is now seeking to repeal this crucial reform.

Furthermore, members of the LGTBI+ collective achieved significant victories through laws such as the Gender Identity Law, equal marriage, and the Trans Labor Quota. These legal frameworks provided much-needed recognition, protection, and rights to marginalized communities, enabling them to live more freely and safely.

Impact on Housing Projects

One of the sectors profoundly affected by these budgetary cuts is housing. Numerous housing projects have been suspended or halted, leaving many citizens without the homes they were promised. This suspension has sparked significant concern among affected communities, as the lack of affordable housing exacerbates existing social challenges.

President Javier Milei’s austerity measures have significantly impacted housing projects across Argentina, especially in impoverished neighborhoods. In the video below, Tatiana Cabrera explains how her family in La Matanza was promised new housing but now faces uncertainty due to severe funding cuts. The dissolution of the Secretariat for Territorial Development and Habitat has stalled critical infrastructure projects, leaving 12% of the population without access to essential services. Juan Enriquez highlighted the improvements made in Villa del Palito, where 95% of homes were rebuilt. However, the closure of the housing secretariat has also led to the loss of 500 jobs, with little clarity on the government’s plans to address the housing crisis.

Habitat International Coalition expressed its deep concern about the possible elimination of the Secretariat for Housing and Habitat of Argentina, which could affect housing and other human rights. In their letter to the Minister of the Economy, HIC highlightED the achievements made in housing policies such as the ProCreAr programme and urban integration, and warn of the economic and labour impacts of this measure, which could destroy more than 500 jobs and halt crucial works. In the letter, HIC pointed out that this measure would contravene several international treaties, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the American Convention on Human Rights. Our Coalition requested that the government maintain and reinforce its housing policies to face the global crisis.

Read the letter here (available in Spanish)

Testimonies

 HIC membership in Argentina is exercising resistance, calling for collective action and international solidarity.  Underlining the rollbacks of all the rights won through the struggle of civil society over the years.