Women's gains in Latin America

Regarding “A region no longer hidebound” (Page Two, May 2) by Luisita Lopez Torregrosa: When discussing the recent political gains of women in Latin America, you cannot draw a curtain of silence around a movement that has reached deep and wide among rural women, indigenous groups and all sectors of society. For decades, women throughout the region have been fighting for an equal role in political, economic and social spheres. In the face of fierce opposition, we have secured government funding for contraception, succeeded in creating new laws against gender based violence, fought for the right to safe and legal abortion, and promoted sexuality education to empower girls in a region where adolescent pregnancy rates are high. These are the brave and determined women, youths and men who deserve credit for fostering an environment where a female head of state became not only a possibility, but a reality.