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Female Leadership and Sexual Health Policy in Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2022

Jennifer M. Piscopo
Jennifer M. Piscopo*
Affiliation:
Occidental College
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Abstract

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Latin American women's accession to executive and legislative office has been accompanied by the widespread expectation that their participation will change policies in ways that benefit women's lives. This article uses an in-depth case study of sexual health reform in Argentina to explore the leadership and coalition-building activities of key political actors. As a case study, the article moves beyond critical mass theories, which argue that women's greater presence will result in gender policy reform. Rather, the article demonstrates that women's inclusion, even at high percentages, generates statutory change only when specific leaders build momentum for reform through issue networks and diverse coalitions. More important, leaders must mobilize resources within civil society and across government branches to ensure that successful policies are enacted. Whether Latin American women enjoy material changes thus depends on whether their leaders are committed to passing and implementing gender reforms.

Resumen

Resumen

La presencia de mujeres latinoamericanas en cargos políticos representativos ha ido en ascenso en los últimos años. ¿Han logrado traducir esta participación en políticas de género que benefician a las mujeres? Para contestar esta pregunta, este trabajo estudia el papel del liderazgo de actores políticos y de la formación de coaliciones en las reformas argentinas a las políticas de salud reproductiva. El análisis cuestiona las teorías de masa crítica, las cuales proponen que la presencia de mujeres legisladoras es suficiente para lograr reformas. Este trabajo, en cambio, demuestra que la inclusión de las mujeres, aún en grandes números, sólo genera cambios estatutarios cuando el liderazgo político logra cobrar velocidad para la reforma mediante redes y coaliciones diversas. Además, es imprescindible que los o las líderes movilicen recursos a través de la sociedad civil y de las instituciones públicas para asegurar que las reformas sean implementadas en la práctica. Que las políticas de género se vean reflejadas en beneficios materiales para las mujeres latinas depende del compromiso de sus líderes en aprobar e implementar estas políticas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Latin American Research Review , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , 2014 , pp. 104 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 by the Latin American Studies Association

Footnotes

The author thanks Peter H. Smith, Susan Franceschet, Jordi Díez, discussants at the 2009 Latin American Studies Association conference, and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on this piece. Support for this research was received from the Institute of International, Comparative, and Area Studies at the University of California, San Diego, and the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University.

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