Argentina’s Gender Rights in Crisis: What the UN Human Rights Committee Must Address
As Argentina prepares for its review by the UN Human Rights Committee in June–July 2025, SAHR has submitted a report that lays bare the worsening situation for women and LGBTI+ persons. Despite progressive laws on gender-based violence and reproductive rights, political backsliding, funding cuts, and a culture of impunity have left many without effective protection or access to justice.
Femicides: A National Emergency Undermined by Legal Rollbacks
Argentina has long struggled with extreme gender-based violence, but recent data shows a troubling escalation. In 2023 alone, 250 femicides were recorded. In the first four months of 2025, the rate has already increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2024.
While femicide is currently classified as an aggravated form of homicide under Article 119 of Argentina’s Penal Code, the Milei administration has announced plans to remove femicide as a distinct legal category, claiming it contradicts gender neutrality. This move risks erasing the gendered reality of violence and undermines decades of feminist legal advocacy.
“Treating femicide as generic homicide ignores the structural inequality that fuels it. It is a breach of Argentina’s obligation to protect the right to life under Article 6 of the ICCPR.” — SAHR Report
At the same time, Argentina’s key support system “the 144 gender-based violence hotline” saw a 42% reduction in staffing in 2024, crippling access to emergency assistance.
Hate Crimes Against LGBTI+ People: Visible Violence, Invisible Justice
Lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons face mounting attacks in Argentina, from violent assaults to murders. Yet, the State provides no official statistics on the scale of these crimes, a silence that perpetuates impunity.
“Without public data or prosecutions, violence against the LGBTI+ community remains normalized.”
Existing laws like the Gender Identity Law (Act 26.743) and the Hiring Quota Act (Act 27.636) mark important milestones, but enforcement remains fragmented and uneven. The Federal Council to Prevent and Address Femicides and Transfemicides exists but lacks transparency, data, and implementation power.
Legal Abortion: A Right Still Denied in Practice
Law 27.610 legalized abortion in Argentina in 2020, allowing voluntary interruption of pregnancy up to 14 weeks and beyond in cases of rape or health risk. However, access remains uneven across provinces, with some jurisdictions reporting rates as low as 3.9 procedures per 1,000 women.
In many hospitals, up to 90% of healthcare professionals invoke conscientious objection, leading to delays, stigma, and in some cases, financial exploitation. Survivors of sexual violence, particularly in indigenous and rural communities, are often denied their right to care.
SAHR’s Key Recommendations
SAHR urges the Human Rights Committee to:
Reject any attempt to repeal femicide as a legal category
Ensure consistent funding for gender-based violence services and implementation of national action plans
Demand transparency and data collection on hate crimes against LGBTI+ individuals
Enforce full access to abortion nationwide, particularly for survivors of rape and marginalized populations.
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