“The legalization of abortion in 2012 was a prime example of the impact a social movement can have on civil society, which in turn influenced public policy,”said Dr. Inés Pousadela, professor of Global Civil Society and Comparative Politics in the Bachelor’s Program in International Studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Her research, *Social Mobilization and Political Representation: The Women’s Movement’s Struggle for Legal Abortion in Uruguay*, was one of the two winners of the Civil Society Policy Impact Research Award (2020).
The award, presented by the International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR), recognizes research that documents effective civil society initiatives leading to demonstrable changes in public policy.
During the interview, Pousadela discussed the strategies employed by the women’s movement in Uruguay regarding the legalization of abortion.
What were you trying to convey through your research?
I had been studying various social movements in the region for quite a few years, including the women’s movement in Uruguay. The legalization of abortion in 2012 was a prime example of the impact a social movement can have on civil society, which in turn influenced public policy.
Through my research, I sought to highlight the strategies that enabled this social movement not only to bring about that change but also to secure the passage of a specific law. I also examined how the movement continued to monitor the implementation of that public policy, ensuring that all women could exercise that right.
What were the tactics?
The movement employed a multi-pronged approach: building coalitions, shaping public opinion, and lobbying within the political system.
As for the formation of coalitions, groups that are not typically associated with feminism (including labor unions, internal committees of political parties, and various social actors) joined the effort.
A lot of hard work was done to shape public opinion, which began to understand and embrace certain issues. As a result, those stakeholders began to feel that joining this coalition was less risky.
At the same time, individual efforts were made with political representatives to try to bring them into line.
The study examines the various tactics employed: from sparking academic debates to bringing in stakeholders who represent scientific expertise.
It also examines how a public conversation emerged around a topic that was taboo in many settings, such as academia, the streets, and the media. Families also began discussing topics they had never talked about before.
Research is one of the most important areas of academia. How do you convey the knowledge you’ve gained through your research to your students?
The topic of social movements in general—and particularly those that advocate for and secure the recognition of rights—resonates with me; it’s a subject I’m passionate about and find deeply interesting. In my classes, I always try to discuss this topic, even when I’m not teaching a course specifically on social movements.
In class, I ask the students what they think about issues related to women’s rights. In fact, their answers confirm that these have been the most successful movements in history.
The shift that the women’s movement has brought about in public perception is impressive. One of the achievements of social movements is to change the lens through which we view reality, so that it becomes self-evident to everyone that some people have the same rights as others. I believe that the greatest achievement of these movements is to create a world where they are no longer necessary.