Mexican women demand abortion decriminalization

The decriminalization of abortion, justice for victims of femicide and reducing gender-based violence were the demands of hundreds of women who on Saturday participated in the 10th edition of the "Marcha de las Putas," or SlutWalk, in central Mexico's Puebla city, reported EFE-EPA.

The women gathered at Zocalo area of the city, capital of Puebla state, with purple and green flags and handkerchiefs, highlighting their demands during the march.

The rally kicked off with a batucada as a call asking to be heard and telling the people that there are men who want to silence them to hide the failures of the patriarchy that has existed for many years and which they seek to eradicate, according to the organizers.

With slogans such as "We give birth, we decide!", "Men, women don't be indifferent, they are killing women in front of people!" they sought to spread awareness about their struggle and urge people to unite to demand that the authorities to act in solidarity with women.

Their demands also include improving the Alerta de Géneroal (Gender Alert) app, considering that the time they spend activating it causes many women to fall victim to their abusers.

The demonstrators marched to the state congress to join a group that has been on an indefinite protest calling for legislators to let women decide whether or not they want to be mothers.

At the state congress, they showcased drawings and photography, held a performance and a moment of coexistence between women, and stressed that the Covid-19 crisis has not prevented them from remaining united for the safety and well-being of all women in Puebla.

Monica Ponce, leader of the Nahuala Collective, told EFE that the march was to celebrate that thousands of women still live and can continue in the fight to ensure that all women from childhood are free to decide what they want to do with their lives.

"We march to celebrate life, our struggle, joy, we keep marching to raise our voices, despite the health contingency," she said.

SlutWalk began in Canada in April 2011 and is an international protest movement to denounce rape and sexual assault.

Data from Mapa de Femicidio (Femicide Map) in Mexico prepared by Maria Salguero reveals that 2,551 women have been murdered in the country from January to July 2020, while official figures show 645 murders of women between January and August this year.

There were 1,012 femicides in Mexico in 2019, which was the highest recorded in the country.