The Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay (Coordinating Body of Paraguayan Women, CMP) is a network of

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

organisations in

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

. The CMP was founded in 1987 or 1988.

History

At its inception the CMP consisted of fifteen Paraguayan women's groups. The initiative to form the CMP, led by

Mercedes Sandoval de Hempel Mercedes Sandoval de Hempel (February 8, 1919 – February 7, 2005) was a Paraguayan lawyer and feminist. She was one of the leading proponents of women's suffrage in the country, drafting the ' (Bill partially amending the Civil Code). In 1992, t ...

, has been characterised as a significant turning point in the articulation of

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

after three decades of violent dictatorship under

Alfredo Stroessner Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda (; 3 November 1912 – 16 August 2006) was a Paraguayan politician, army general and Military dictatorship, military dictator who ruled as the 42nd president of Paraguay from 15 August 1954 until his overthrow in 19 ...

. After the dictatorship, the CMP showed a new professionalism in making the case for

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

. On behalf of the CMP, Sandoval drafted Law 1/92, the law relating to

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

, of the Paraguayan

Civil Code A civil code is a codification of private law relating to property law, property, family law, family, and law of obligations, obligations. A jurisdiction that has a civil code generally also has a code of civil procedure. In some jurisdiction ...

. In the

1998 Paraguayan general election General elections were held in Paraguay on 10 May 1998.Dieter Nohlen (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II'', p425 Incumbent Juan Carlos Wasmosy could not run again, as the constitution limits the president to a single ...

the CMP presented a 13-point platform of feminist policy proposals.Developments in Latin American Political Economy: States, Markets and Actors – Google Books
/ref> In 1999 the CMP lobbied for a law explicitly outlawing

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

against women, resulting in legislation in 2000. Groups under the umbrella of the CMP today are Aireana - Group for Lesbian Rights, the Trinidad Association, the Community Support Educational Base (BECA), the Documentation and Studies Center (CDE), Kuña Róga, and United in Hope (UNES). The group also includes individual members. Members have included

Line Bareiro Line Bareiro (born 1950) is a Paraguayan political scientist, civil rights activist and feminist. Life Line Bareiro studied at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, gaining a Masters in political science in 1979 and working as a research ass ...

Gloria Rubin Gloria Beatriz Godoy Montórfano de Rubín (born 1943) is a Paraguayuan broadcasting executive, psychologist, feminist, and politician. From 2008 to 2013 she was Paraguay's Minister for Women's Affairs. Life Gloria Godoy was born on 26 March 194 ...

. and Mirta Moragas.

References

External links

CMP's Facebook page
{{Authority control Feminist organisations in Paraguay 1987 establishments in Paraguay Organizations established in 1987