“Cambiemos la Historia”: Paths on Women’s and Gender Studies in Paraguay

Abstract

This article examines the trajectory of the field of studies on women and gender in Paraguay, with
a focus on the 1980s and 1990s, when the Grupo de Estudios de la Mujer Paraguaya (GEMPA) and the Área Mujer of the Centro de Documentación y Estudios (CDE) emerged, establishing themselves as fundamental spaces for feminist research in the country. Through the analysis of magazines and books organized by these groups, the text explores how they questioned traditional historical narratives by producing investigations and publications that confronted the silences in the country’s historiography. The adopted methodology combines a literature review, with an emphasis on the analysis of periodical publications and documents produced by these organizations. Along this path, we also address the challenges faced by these initiatives, such as the lack of financial resources and the resistance of universities to incorporate research related to the study of women’s history. Despite these obstacles, the productions of GEMPA and the Área Mujer left a significant legacy, contributing to the construction of a more plural and inclusive historiography, which promotes a more democratic vision of history by highlighting the participation of women and men in different contexts.