Women in Argentina Face Rising Violence – Human Rights Watch

Report on Increasing Gender-Based Violence in Argentina and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

Argentina is facing a significant regression in the protection of women, girls, and LGBT people, marked by a sharp increase in gender-based violence and femicides. Recent governmental policy shifts, including severe budget cuts to key support programs and proposed legislative changes, directly undermine the nation’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). This report outlines the current crisis, analyzes the governmental response, and provides recommendations for legislative action aligned with SDG targets.

Statistical Overview of the Crisis

Recent data indicates a severe escalation in gender-based violence, representing a direct challenge to SDG Target 5.2, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls.

• Domestic Violence: The Supreme Court’s Office of Domestic Violence (OVD) reports a significant increase in domestic violence cases, with at least 39% involving severe, repeated, or high-risk violence.
• Femicides: Feminist observatories documented an alarming rise in femicides, with 29 cases, including transfemicides, reported in October alone. The national ombudsman’s office reports a femicide occurs every 35 hours.

Governmental Response and Policy Setbacks

The government’s response has exacerbated the crisis, dismantling institutional frameworks designed to protect vulnerable populations and ensure justice, thereby contravening SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Budgetary and Programmatic Reductions

• Thirteen gender-related programs have been eliminated.
• The national budget for preventing and responding to gender-based violence was reduced by 89% between 2023 and 2024.
• The Acompañar program, which provides financial assistance to survivors, saw its budget cut by 90%, with beneficiary coverage dropping from over 100,000 in 2023 to 434 in 2024.
• The proposed 2026 budget would eliminate funding for violence prevention and reduce resources for sexual and reproductive health by nearly 90%, impacting SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Legislative and Rhetorical Challenges

• The Justice Minister has announced plans to remove femicide as an aggravating factor from the Penal Code, weakening legal tools essential for achieving SDG Target 16.3 (promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice).
• Statements from high-level officials, including the Security Minister and the President, have been criticized for misrepresenting the nature of femicide and shifting blame away from perpetrators, which undermines efforts to address the root causes of violence as called for in SDG 5.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The current situation in Argentina represents a significant deviation from its international commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Target 5.1: The dismantling of protective policies and institutions constitutes a reversal of progress on ending discrimination against women and girls.
• Target 5.2: The rising rates of femicide and domestic violence are in direct opposition to the goal of eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
• Target 5.c: Recent budget cuts and policy reversals contradict the commitment to adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.1: The failure to prevent and punish femicides undermines the goal to significantly reduce all forms of violence.
• Target 16.3: The proposed removal of femicide from the Penal Code weakens the rule of law and denies equal access to justice for victims of gender-motivated killings.

Recommendations for Legislative Action

Incoming legislators have a critical opportunity to mitigate the escalating crisis and realign national policy with the Sustainable Development Goals. The following actions are recommended:

1. Uphold and strengthen the legal framework that recognizes femicide as an aggravating factor in homicide, ensuring alignment with SDG 16.
2. Draft and advocate for new legislation that enhances protections for women, girls, and LGBT people from all forms of violence, in line with SDG 5.2.
3. Oppose and prevent the enactment of measures that would weaken existing protections or reduce access to justice for survivors of violence.
4. Allocate sufficient budgetary resources to programs aimed at violence prevention, survivor support, and sexual and reproductive health services, fulfilling commitments under SDG 3, SDG 5, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on gender-based violence in Argentina directly addresses and connects to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 5: Gender Equality – This is the most central SDG, as the article’s entire focus is on the rise of gender-based violence, femicides, and the dismantling of policies and programs designed to protect women and promote gender equality.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article discusses failures and proposed rollbacks within the justice system, such as the plan to remove femicide from the Penal Code. This relates directly to ensuring access to justice for all and building effective, accountable institutions.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article mentions significant budget cuts to sexual and reproductive health services, which are critical components of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, particularly for survivors of violence.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article highlights that violence is rooted in “structural inequality and entrenched patriarchal norms,” which are forms of discrimination.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The core issue discussed is the “alarming rise in femicides” and increased reports of domestic violence, directly addressing this target.
   • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels. The article points to a regression on this target by discussing the government’s cutting of 13 gender-related programs, the 89% budget reduction for violence prevention programs, and the plan to “remove femicide from the Penal Code.”
2. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The statistic that “a femicide occurs every 35 hours in Argentina” directly relates to the need to reduce violent death rates.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The plan by the Justice Minister to eliminate femicide as an aggravating factor in the Penal Code is a direct threat to ensuring equal access to justice for victims of gender-based violence.
3. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. The article explicitly states that the proposed 2026 budget would “eliminate funding and reduce overall resources for… sexual and reproductive health, and sexuality education by nearly 90 percent,” indicating a direct challenge to achieving this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress (or regression) towards the identified targets:

• Indicator for Target 5.2 & 16.1: The frequency and number of femicides. The article provides specific data points: “a femicide occurs every 35 hours” and “29 in October alone.” These statistics serve as direct measures of violence against women.
• Indicator for Target 5.2: The prevalence of domestic violence. The article notes that “reports of domestic violence have increased, with at least 39 percent of cases involving severe or repeated violence.” This percentage is a clear indicator of the severity of violence.
• Indicator for Target 5.c: Public budget allocation for gender equality. The article provides precise figures on budget cuts: “the national budget for programs preventing and responding to gender-based violence fell 89 percent between 2023 and 2024,” and the budget for the “Acompañar” program “lost 90 percent.”
• Indicator for Target 5.c: Number of beneficiaries of support programs. The drop in coverage for the Acompañar program “from over 100,000 people in 2023 to just 434 in 2024” is a stark indicator of reduced institutional support.
• Indicator for Target 16.3: Existence of laws and legal frameworks protecting women. The plan to “remove femicide from the Penal Code” is a qualitative indicator of the weakening of legal institutions designed to provide justice.
• Indicator for Target 3.7: Public budget allocation for health services. The proposed “nearly 90 percent” reduction in resources for “sexual and reproductive health” is a direct financial indicator of access to these services.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hrw.org