UN Women Urges 'Urgent' Protection for Journalists Facing Violence in Latin America

Bibiana Aido, UN Women's regional director for the Americas and the Caribbean, has issued an urgent appeal for coordinated actions to safeguard journalists across the region. She highlighted that reporters, especially those focusing on gender perspectives or feminism, are confronting "extremely high levels of gender-based violence, online harassment, and death threats."

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urgent and coordinated actions

Aido stated that these attacks aim to silence journalists and undermine press freedom, characterizing them as part of a broader "counteroffensive against women's rights." This assertion comes despite acknowledged "clear and tangible advances in equality" in recent years, driven by vibrant feminist movements.

The UN Women official emphasized that protecting journalists necessitates immediate and collaborative efforts involving newsrooms, international organizations, civil society groups, and state legal frameworks. These actions are crucial for combating both physical and digital violence, with Aido adding that "defending equality also means defending the value of responsible information."

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extremely high levels of gender-based violence, online harassment, and death threats

The forum where these remarks were made also featured insights from Mariana Caminotti, a researcher at Argentina's National University of San Martín. Caminotti explained that setbacks in women's rights may not always be apparent but can manifest abruptly through the dismantling of organizations or the repeal of laws, gradually via defunding of public policies, or selectively as different areas advance and regress simultaneously.

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seek to silence their voices and weaken freedom of the press

Constanza Tabbush, a specialist with UN Women, cautioned that opposition to gender equality progress is not new but has become "more organized and more financed." She pointed to the use of "Trojan horses", highly emotive issues, by these groups to mobilize support and polarize society, often challenging women's rights, even during election periods.

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counteroffensive against women's rights