Migrant Women's Day in Argentina

In 2012, the Legislature of Buenos Aires established January 10 as Migrant Women's Day in honor of Marcelina Meneses by means of Law No. 4,409.

On January 10, 2001, Marcelina Meneses and her son Joshua Torres were aboard the Roca train when they were abruptly thrown out of the moving train, in an act of xenophobia. In their memory, January 10 was established as Migrant Women's Day.

The purpose of this date is to raise awareness, make visible and sensitize about situations of violence and violation of rights suffered by migrant women on a daily basis. That is why we recall that, in addition to the international norms that guarantee the rights of migrants, in Argentina the Migration Law No. 25,871, enacted in 2003, is in force.

This law reaffirms that the right to migration is an essential and inalienable right of the individual and the Argentine Republic guarantees it on the basis of the principles of equality and universality (art. 4). In turn, it establishes that the State shall ensure the conditions that guarantee effective equality of treatment so that migrants may enjoy their rights and comply with their obligations (art. 5). In turn, it states that all its jurisdictions shall ensure equal access for migrants and their families under the same conditions of protection, protection and rights enjoyed by nationals, particularly with regard to social services, public goods, health, education, justice, labor, employment and social security (art. 6).