South America has undergone a sea change in recent years. Once consigned to the sidelines, women are now stepping into positions of power and influence and pushing back against centuries of the patriarchy. From presidents to the leaders of grass-roots movements, women are increasingly shaping the political future of the continent. Yet, while such progress is palpable, more work remains before we reach true equal representation of women in politics.
Look to the countries that have elected women, such as Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff, Argentina’s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Chile’s Michelle Bachelet. These ladies have not only shattered political glass ceilings, but they have also shown that feminine leadership and thrive even in conservative political systems. Their presidencies were both noteworthy achievements and crowning controversies, but their mere presence spoke volumes. Their careers showed that women are capable not just of holding office, but of leading countries with strength, vision, and resilience.
But it isn’t only at the presidential level that women are making a splash. Over the past several decades, more and more women have started to lead Congresses, state governments and city halls around the country. In Bolivia, for instance, Jeanine Áñez took office as the country’s interim president in 2019. While her tenure in office was brief and her legacy is disputed, her rise represented a watershed moment for a country that was formally governed almost exclusively by men. In Argentina, for example, women like María Eugenia Vidal, the former governor of Buenos Aires Province, and Ofelia Fernández, a young progressive legislator, are altering the political conversation.
But outside the corridors of power, women’s activism is having an ever-bigger impact on policy. Movements such as Ni Una Menos, which originated in Argentina in 2015, have gone regional, demanding an end to gender-based violence. These movements have done more than highlight the endemic violence women face; they have pressured governments to confront the issue like never before. Feminists and women’s rights activists are demanding tighter laws, more professional staff to help victims and more funding — moving political agendas from the bottom up.
Yet even with that progress, challenges persist. The road to gender parity in politics is strewn with deeply rooted misogyny, unequal access to resources and many areas of decision making without female representation. In many places, women have trouble getting financial support for their campaigns, or being treated seriously in debates. Furthermore, although women are breaking into politics, they tend to be put in less powerful positions or are scrutinized in far greater detail than men.
But the emergence of female leaders and activists across South America represents a cultural change. Women are not just demanding more space in politics, they are doing the work and changing the future. From the sidewalks to the ballot box, the voices of women are growing louder, shaping the policies and decisions that will define the region’s future.
The growing presence of women in South America’s political sphere is an undeniable triumph — but it’s also a reminder the battle for gender equality is nowhere near over. So women may have come some way but political equality will only be achieved when women are no longer the exception but the norm holding power and beckoning change. And that is perhaps the biggest shift of all.
