By María Julia Moreyra —
As a lawyer in Argentina who specialized in the fight against gender violence, I have been grieved by recent developments in my country. Argentina has a history as a pioneering country in addressing gender issues and had even made significant legal advances to protect women and promote diversity. But recently, the country has taken several steps back with the closing of the Ministry of Women (at national level), the elimination of subsidies for victims of gender-based violence, and the shrinking in size of the number of people manning hotlines by which victims of violence or human trafficking can report their situation or seek help.
I am a Rotary Peace Fellow, having gained invaluable experience in the complicated issues surrounding human trafficking during my time at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. I have also completed Rotary’s Positive Peace Academy; and in 2020 was selected to become a Positive Peace Activator. The Pillars of Positive Peace, a cornerstone of that program, serve as an important guide for addressing issues like gender-based violence and human trafficking. Coupled with more than 25 years’ experience addressing gender-based violence, I was highly motivated to draw upon all that I have learned to help the women of my country.
Out of this milieu, a special project was born, with the help of local and international NGOs such as FULAC, Fundación 100% Platense, Proyecto Palomas, and Network SE4U, the Rotary clubs of La Plata Sur and Berisso, to whom I am extremely grateful, and the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).
From Pain to Hope brought together a group of 15 women, all victims, and survivors of gender-based violence, for a six-month program in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they were guided on a path of healing by an interdisciplinary team of psychologists, social workers, lawyers, medical doctors, and government officials.
These women were treated to an atmosphere of listening, empathy, and discretion. They were allowed to share their personal stories of long-term suffering, experience with the systemic failures in the justice system, and lack of a support network to lean upon. Their stories were met with compassion and understanding.
The need for such programs is evident. La Casa del Encuentro conducted a study in 2024 that documented 318 deaths at the hands of gender violence, the equivalent of one every 27 hours. In another report, the government’s office in charge of prosecuting human trafficking and exploitation said it had received 5,776 reports of trafficking through a special hotline between 2021 and 2024, of which 321 included victims with mental health conditions or disabilities. Of those, 68% were women, 75% were adults, and 60% involved sexual or labor exploitation.
As part of From Pain to Hope, each case was analyzed through the lens of the eight Pillars of Positive Peace. This served to identify what pillars had been weakened, and which they could draw upon for strength, to empower them to be able to build lives free from violence and to build support networks so they would no long have to face feeling all alone in their struggles.
Members from the La Plata Sur and Berisso clubs shared Rotary’s concern for the welfare of all individuals and its commitment to creating lasting change in communities around the world.
There were moments of deep emotion, as participants, who did not know each other beforehand, found connection through their shared experiences, discovering that they could express their feelings freely without judgment.
A particular moving and emotional part of the program came during a carpentry workshop led by a local architect at the San José Seminary in La Plata. Thanks to the generosity of Priest Andrés Rambeaud, this serene, century-old setting surrounded by nature allowed the women to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and express their creativity.
The project represented a turning point for these women with many ongoing benefits:
- An increased resiliency demonstrated by each participant
- Increased support from local and international organizations like FULAC, the Fundacion 100% Platense, the Palomas Project, and SE4U (an organization linked to the United Nations.)
- The opening of new institutions such as Caritas and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad Parish, both in La Plata, to help victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking
- Increased access to authorities for urgent assistance
- The creation of a solid support network between the participants
The project ended on 30 November 2024, but the healing and empowerment continues. It remains an example of the transformative power that is available thanks to Rotary, the IEP, and the guidance of the Pillars of Positive Peace.
María Julia Moreyra is an attorney in Argentina and magister of international relations, specializing in gender- based violence and human trafficking. She is one of the directors of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS), Speaker Chair at the Rotary Club End Human Trafficking, a Rotary Peace Fellow, and a Rotary Positive Peace Activator.
https://blog.rotary.org/2025/02/18/empowering-victims-of-gender-based-violence-in-argentina/