The Green Wave or Green Tide (Spanish: "Marea verde") is a grouping of abortion-rights movements in various countries in the Americas that have collectively adopted the colour green as a symbol of their movement and successfully pushed governments to expand abortion access in multiple countries across Latin America, a region known for some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the world. While Latin America is a diverse region with a large range of abortion policies, the Green Wave has made its way across the area and has had a profound impact on abortion policies.
The Green Wave movement in Latin America was and continues to be monumental due to the influence of Catholicism and Evangelicalism, brought through Spain and Portuguese historical colonialism. The Catholic and Evangelical churches wield immense power in Latin America, and politicians seeking support from Conservative voters, often those of Catholic or Evangelical faith, may adopt anti-abortion stances. The religious influence within these countries is so immense, that even Argentina declared the federal government's support of Roman Catholicism in their Constitution.
Cultural conservatism, reinforced by Catholic teaching, promotes the role of women as mothers, contributing to public opposition to abortion. Associated with wrongdoing and sin, anti-abortion rhetoric is present in Latin America.
History.
Green bandanas were first adopted as a symbol by Argentinian abortion and family planning rights activists in 2003, drawing inspiration from the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo protesters who similarly used white scarves (opponents of abortion rights in Argentina in turn began using blue bandanas as their symbol). Green bandanas were also used by Argentinian "Ni una menos" anti-femicide protesters in 2015. By 2020, green bandanas were being used by abortion rights proponents in several other Latin American countries. The color green was used as a representation of hope and life. During the 2020s, multiple Latin American countries began to decriminalize abortion. After the Supreme Court of the United States overturned a precedent that mandated abortion access federally and multiple U.S. states began restricting abortion access as a result, abortion rights protesters in the United States also began using green as their symbol.
Green Wave activists have aided in the creation of pro-choice legislation. Notably, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico have experienced tremendous shifts. The Green Wave began in Argentina, but has spread to other Latin American nations.
Argentina.
Argentina's legalization of abortion in 2020 was the first success attributed to the Green Wave movement. On January 14, 2021, Argentine President Alberto Fernández signed Argentina's 27.610 law into effect after Senate Approval in December 2020. This law permits abortions within 14 weeks of pregnancy, with options after 14 weeks if the pregnant person's life or mental-physical wellbeing are in danger. Also, the law permits abortion in cases of rape.
Colombia.
On February 21, 2022, Colombia's Constitutional Court legalized abortions within 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, premature babies would have a better chance of surviving outside of the womb. To encourage Colombia to adopt abortion legislation, a campaign emerged in order to bring familiar faces into the discussion. It was titled "Hijas de La Frontera", and was produced with Colombian TV and Movie Stars like Katherine Porto. It shed light on real Colombian stories of abortions, and referenced the importance of abortions, as well as the power of decriminalization.
Shortly after the passing of this legislation, Colombia's Justice Ministry, with the support of President Duque, petitioned the Constitutional Court to annul its decision, but were unsuccessful.
Mexico.
At the state level, Mexico City was the first within the state to legalize abortion in 2007. Mexico City is an extremely progressive region, as Same-Sex Marriage in Mexico city has been legal since 2010.
After the legalization of abortion in the state, it took nearly 12 years for the second Mexican state Oaxaca, to decriminalize it. Abortion in Mexico has slowly been decriminalized at the state level, with a current 16 states allowing the procedure. Many states decriminalized abortion through changes in their local legislation, but to states, Aguascalientes and Coahuila were changed through a Supreme Court ruling from the challenging of civil society organizations, inspired by movements of the Green Wave.
Sixteen years after Mexico City's decriminalization, the Mexican federal government followed. On September 6, 2023, Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that abortion must be removed from the Federal Penal Code . All federal health care facilities must offer abortion services to those who desire it.
References.
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