Junta de la Victoria

rdf:langString Junta de la Victoria

rdf:langString Junta de la Victoria was an Argentinian social movement that mobilized women against fascism and for democracy, both at home and abroad. Founded on September 13, 1941 by upper-class women, Communists, rural Jewish women, and wives of foreign diplomats, Junta had 45,000 members in 125 different chapters around the country. Junta collected supplies, made goods, and donated money to the Allied war effort. The founders saw rising nationalism and fascism in Argentina as inherently based on Europe, saying that, "Allied and Argentine struggles for liberty and democracy were intertwined". Outside of its commitment to anti-fascism, Junta de la Victoria advocated for women's rights. The organization's leaders saw freedom and democracy as linked to women's ability to learn and thrive, and saw their conventions as a chance to usher in democracy through diversity, mutual respect, and cooperation. Ultimately, though, egalitarian labor and social reform became secondary to fighting fascism. Junta de la Victoria's operations were limited and eventually shut down during the dictatorship of Pedro Pablo Ramírez, who saw the group's pro-Allied stance as Communist-aligned. Nevertheless, Junta continued to make an impact throughout the war and remains an important model for women's movements in Argentina and Latin America to this day.