Mexico's women protest with a general strike

In Latin America, violence against women is widespread. On average, more than 10 women are killed on the continent each day. This feminicidio, as it is known, on Sunday led Mexican activists to commemorate 3,000 killed women by writing their names on Mexico City's Constitution Square.

On the following Monday, many Mexican women showed solidarity with those who have been killed by putting down their work or refusing to do domestic chores — as this almost empty women-only bus from the capital city illustrates.

Women are subjected to violence not only in public or at work, but above all at home, as sociologist Claudia Lozano explains. She says the women's movement has "transformed a private problem into a public one." Mexico, meanwhile, is not the only country struggling with this issue.

Some 2 million people turned out on March 8 in Chile to protest against femicide, according to organizers. Many gathered on Monday morning to continue protesting. And a march is planned for Monday evening. Feminist art collective LasTesis, who released a song called "You Are the Rapist," have been particularly outspoken about the problem.

Far fewer people gathered in Brazilian cities to protest women's rights, with only a few thousand taking to the streets. And even though the country has adopted tougher laws to combat domestic violence against women and femicide, Brazilian society remains patriarchal. This is indicated by the election of President Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly made misogynistic remarks in public.

Activists have been calling for abortion to be legalized. In Latin America, roughly one-third of all pregnancies are aborted. But because the practice remains illegal, hundreds of thousands of women have to get medical treatment after undergoing abortions conducted by non-professionals. Not everyone, however, agrees that the practice should be legalized.

On Sunday, several thousand Argentinians gathered in Buenos Aires to celebrate mass with the city's archbishop under the motto, "Yes to women, Yes to Life." Those who took to the streets protested against Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez' initiative to make abortions within the first few weeks legal.

Argentina birthed the feminist Ni una menos, or "Not one less (woman)," movement which since spread to other Latin American countries. In particular, it highlights the scourge of sexualized violence against women.