Almost 30 Years Later: Anti-Femicide Activism in Mexico from 1993 to 2022

What factors have influenced the strategies of the anti-femicide social movement, and what has this movement accomplished after continuously advocating for almost 30 years? Analyzing news articles, scholarly journals, books on social movements, and Twitter accounts, I argue that the inaction of the government was a root cause of the movement’s change in strategies, from peaceful petitions to highly visible vandalism, and that institutional barriers prevent progress on this issue even in the current day. I demonstrate that transnational activism through international institutions such as the United Nations had a limited impact on effecting domestic change but that using social media to spread awareness of femicide as an issue was effective in promoting transnational solidarity. Finally, I argue that the anti-femicide movement had success in raising awareness of femicide and gaining legislation that criminalized femicide, even if femicide still remains a national issue. Analyzing the strategic shifts in the anti-femicide movement allows one to understand why social movements must adapt their strategies to the political opportunities they are faced with. Moreover, femicide is a global issue, and understanding the achievements and limitations of the movement can help other activist groups create their own strategies in their respective countries