The green wave: A comparative analysis of women's rights movements in Latin America

The Reproductive Rights Movement, emerging as a vital part of the broader Women's Rights Movement, has gained significant momentum in recent years, particularly in response to increasingly restrictive reproductive health policies in countries such as Poland (2021) and the United States (2022). These developments have boosted global debates on gender equality, public health, and morality. Within this context, the Green Wave (Marea Verde) Movement has emerged as a significant feminist mobilization in Latin America, resulting in landmark legal reforms in Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. However, the success of the movement has not been consistent across the region. This study investigates the divergent outcomes of the Green Wave Movement in Latin America by analyzing its influence in three countries with shared cultural and historical characteristics: Argentina, Brazil, and Honduras. It examines how socio-political contexts, religious influences, public discourse, and media visibility shape the effectiveness of feminist mobilization. The findings suggest that Argentina's comparatively secular political environment and strong civil society enabled a successful legislative shift through the construction of legitimacy for the movement. In contrast, Brazil and Honduras, where conservative framings and strong religious institutions dominate public life, demonstrated more limited progress, with social movements struggling to reshape legal norms around abortion. Through a comparative case study approach, this research highlights the significance of political opportunity structures, media framing, and institutional openness in determining the impact of feminist movements on legal reform.