Ni Una Menos women’s movement in Argentina

Jul 10, 2025

Agustina Paz Frontera, a key figure from the Ni Una Menos movement and co-founder of LATFEM, shares her insights on the wave of protests that surged in Argentina after the tragic femicide of a young girl. She highlights the emotional awakening spurred by personal tragedies and the solidarity that brought thousands to the streets. The conversation explores how their activism catalyzed significant legislative changes, transforming societal attitudes towards women's rights and representation, both locally and globally.

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ANECDOTE

Friend's Disappearance Ignites Activism

Agustina's feminist awakening came after a close friend disappeared mysteriously in 2005.
This personal loss drove her to understand and fight against gender-based violence.

ANECDOTE

Mobilizing a Nationwide Protest

The Ni Una Menos movement began with a solidarity event of artists and families of murdered women in March 2015.
Agustina helped organize the protest using social media, rapidly mobilizing the entire country.

ANECDOTE

Tragic Murder Sparks Movement

The murder of 14-year-old Chiara Pius, who was pregnant and killed by her boyfriend, became the catalyst for mass protests.
The tragedy sparked a viral social media call to action, uniting people across Argentina.

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On 3 June 2015, tens of thousands of people gathered in the capital, Buenos Aires, and in dozens of cities and towns demanding an end to violence against women. There were demonstrations in Chile and Uruguay in solidarity too.

Argentina was reporting a female murder rate of one every 31 hours. The killing of a 14-year-old pregnant girl by her boyfriend was seen as a tipping point.

Something had to be done. A collective of female journalists and writers campaigned under the banner ‘Ni Una Menos’ (not one less) and received support on social media from footballer Lionel Messi and Argentina’s president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

Changes to the law on abortion and the representation of women in governance followed. Agustina Paz Frontera who was part of the collective that started the movement tells Josephine McDermott it was the disappearance of her school friend in 2005 that spurred her on.

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(Photo: Agustina Paz Frontera. Credit: Ana Masiello)