Salvadoran feminist Morena Herrera to be awarded for defending rights like abortion

Salvadoran feminist Morena Herrera, a prominent advocate for safe and legal abortion access, will be honored in Spain with the International Defenders Award 2026.

The award recognizes Herrera's extensive career and significant contributions to defending women's rights and sexual and reproductive health. The ceremony, organized by the Association of Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Catalonia, will take place during the fifth edition of the award presentation next Thursday.

The Association highlighted Herrera's "tireless work and struggle for the improvement of women's lives in El Salvador and her contribution to abortion rights worldwide." The award aims to celebrate individuals and projects making substantial impacts in promoting and defending sexual and reproductive rights, according to a statement from La Movimienta, a regional initiative for abortion rights and chosen maternities.

In El Salvador, abortion has been criminalized since 1998 under all circumstances. Women experiencing pregnancy complications, including miscarriages and stillbirths, are frequently suspected and prosecuted for homicide, facing sentences ranging from 30 to 50 years. Herrera previously led the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion, which provided legal advice and support to women accused of abortion. The group recently dissolved its legal structure in El Salvador due to an "adverse context" for human rights defense, transitioning into the regional movement La Movimienta.

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life of tireless work of Morena and struggle for the improvement of the life of women of El Salvador and her contribution in favor of the right to abortion throughout the world.