Javier Milei (Screen capture via YouTube)
Argentinian President Javier Milei has fulfilled one of his campaign promises, which is to eliminate the Women, Gender and Diversity Ministry.
Milei took office on Dec. 10. He defeated then-Economy Minister Sergio Massa in the second round of the country’s presidential election that took place on Nov. 20.
The president’s controversial decision to eliminate the Women, Gender and Diversity Ministry is intended to reconfigure the government structure, placing the portfolio’s responsibilities under the purview of Human Capital Minister Sandra Viviana Pettovello.
The decree mandates “the commitments and obligations assumed by the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity will be under the Ministry of Human Capital,” with the transfer of budgetary credits, organizational units, assets and personnel. This reorganization also eliminates the Education, Culture, Labor and Social Development Ministries amid soaring inflation, increased poverty and political and economic instability.
This radical change comes four years after then-President Alberto Fernández in 2019 created the Women, Diversity and Gender Ministry. The resolution, which Milei signed and has already been published in the Official Gazette, has created a new government structure that has raised concerns, especially among LGBTQ rights activists in the country that has been at the vanguard of expanding rights to sexual and gender minorities.
New Congressman Esteban Paulón, a long-time activist who represents Santa Fe province, criticized Milei’s decision.
“One of the president’s prerogatives is to dictate his own law of ministries to order the government’s management,” Paulón told the Washington Blade. “Out of 18 existing ministries, it is reduced to nine or 10, and obviously one of the ministries that is eliminated is the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity.”
Paulón noted this decision reflects Milei’s view of these issues as “superfluous policy expenditures,” sending a clear message that they will not be a priority for his administration.
“The president decided to make his first speech with his back to Congress, ignoring a Congress that is very fragmented and with which he needs to have a dialogue if he wants to pass some of the laws he is pushing,” said Paulón. “This beginning has not been a good omen in the 40th anniversary of democracy.”
Paulón added this situation “adds a lot of uncertainty and concern.”
The congressman also reiterated his concerns about the future of gender and sexual diversity policies in Argentina.
“It is still not clear in the structure of the State where those jobs that exist today, that are created, will remain. It is not resolved,” said Paulón. “We will have to see how the issue evolves, but for now there is silence on the part of the government in relation to this.”
Paulón further stressed the importance of defending policies that benefit LGBTQ people.
He said these policies are not only relevant to LGBTQ people; but also apply to the fight against gender violence, femicides, labor and social inclusion of the transgender community and other inequalities and the implementation of the trans labor quota. Paulón concluded the loss of institutionalism not only implies the lack of resources from the State, but also the absence of a clear message about the importance of these issues in society.
“This is a huge shame because the truth is that these policies are very necessary, first because we know that there are issues linked to gender inequalities and this obviously includes the perspective of dissidence that have a concrete impact on the daily lives of people, care policies, gender violence, the issue of feminist economy, obviously everything that has to do with labor and social inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ collective,” he said.
“These are extremely relevant issues that are lost when losing institutionality because the State stops allocating resources, stops investing and above all stops sending a clear message to society that these are relevant issues,” added Paulón. “They are issues that the State has to deal with and society has to commit to modify, and the truth is that if we do not fight against the structure of patriarchy that is so settled in capitalism, we will not be able to fight against so many other inequalities.”
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