The power of feminist movement for the democratization of the health field

Abstract

According to Mario Pecheny, since the return of
democracy in Argentina, several advancements in
sexual and gender rights have been a consequence
of the expansion of the right to health and the
establishment of “therapeutic citizenship” that
includes individuals as recipients of health policies
within the State. This article aims to explore the
reverse path and emphasize the contributions and
potential of the feminist movement’s struggles in
advancing the democratization of health facilities. It
constitutes a qualitative study, analyzing 78 in-depth
interviews conducted with community members,
activists, healthcare workers, and officials from the
three participating nodes of the research project
titled “Sexual Rights and Accessibility to Health
Services: A Comparative Study in Vulnerable Areas
of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Mendoza,
and Santa Fe, during and post-pandemic situations.”
We posit that the incorporation of practices
guaranteeing abortion within the healthcare system
in Argentina, following the enactment of Law No.
27,610 on Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy,
produces democratizing effects that impact the
entire healthcare field.