Neoliberalism, Gender Policies and feminicide in Latin America

Abstract

The number of feminicides in Latin America has grown exponentially over the past 30 years, in parallel to the neoliberal politics and agreements made in the countries of the region, for the benefit of the Global North, especially the dominant powers in international politics. In the same period, gender violence and women's rights came centre stage in programs originated or mediated by international organisations, especially the United Nations - The UN, debating and institutionalising for the member countries, trying to alleviate the consequences resulting from the ideologies that these very organisations implemented to the Global South. With this state of affairs, the increasing feminicide in Latin America, despite the humanitarian agendas of international cooperation and the countries of the Global North, has highlighted and problematised, based on theories from the Global South, under a decolonial perspective and regressive-progressive analysis. We conclude that the combination of a reformist approach to feminist agendas and neoliberal policies implicates the exploitation and/or death of Latin American women and perpetuate modern/colonial geopolitical dependence.