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Argentina's abortion campaign launches virtual events to revitalise movement

<span>Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images

Feminists in Argentina like to say: “la lucha está en la calle” — the battle is in the streets.  But with the country under a strict coronavirus lockdown, the women’s movement can no longer flood the streets.

So on Thursday, activists have planned a series of virtual events to mark 15 years of their campaign to legalize abortion – and inject new momentum to campaign which was stalled by the pandemic, just as it seemed on the brink of victory.

Argentina was on the cusp of a watershed in March, when President Alberto Fernández unveiled a bill to legalise abortion – the first time such an initiative would come from a sitting president in the country of 45 million.

Related: Argentina set to become first major Latin American country to legalise abortion

Abortion is illegal in Argentina and can result in jail except in instances of rape or if a mother’s health or life is at risk.

But the bill was never formally introduced as the government focused on the coronavirus. To have come so close to a historic event, only to have it interrupted by another historic event, was a blow for many pro legalisation campaigners.

Now the National Congress is back in virtual session, and Fernandez has said the bill is ready to go.

A source within the government said it was not possible to say when exactly it would be presented in Congress because of the Covid-19 emergency, but added: “It will still be this year.”

Activists such as Celeste Mac Dougall say they believe in the president’s commitment – but they have kept organizing in the meantime to see it through.

“On the one hand I’m fed up – I want it to be legal. On the other hand, I’m so happy and proud to be part of this project,” said Mac Dougall, a member of the legalisation campaign. “For many of us, it’s the fight of our lives.”

Two years ago, Argentina was swept up in a dramatic debate over abortion rights. The lower house of deputies approved a legalisation bill for elective abortion in 2018, but it was shot down by the Senate.

Related: Argentina abortion defeat shows enduring power of Catholic church

Abortion remains a divisive issue in the home country of Pope Francis, with powerful religious and political sectors that oppose legalization. If Argentina ultimately approves an abortion bill, the country would become the largest jurisdiction in the region to permit the procedure.

The pandemic has not only altered the government’s timeline; it has forced the feminist movement to rethink how it agitates for change during a quarantine.

On Instagram, the campaign declared the “return of the abortion signal”, with the silhouette of a woman thrusting her fist in the air, and the symbol of the movement’s emblematic green scarf projected onto the sky. Supporters will hang green scarves from balconies and doors, and share photos on their social channels. The elements of a rally will be there – just on YouTube, featuring interviews with the pioneering members of the campaign, videos and a concert.

Campaigners have also been meeting with legislators, holding virtual education sessions on the campaign, and mobilizing to ensure women can access the healthcare they need during the quarantine.

“It’s circumstantial that we’re not in the streets, but we’re very present with all the demands that have to do with our rights,” said Ana Correa, a writer and legalisation supporter. “It generates optimism to hear the president say that when the conditions are there, he will send the project to Congress”

Government statistics in 2018 said that 350,000 clandestine abortions took place in the country every year, although human rights groups estimate the true figure is closer to 500,000. Women still encounter obstacles or outright denials when trying to access abortion services that are legal.

“The quarantine hasn’t taken away our conviction that [abortion] has to be legal in 2020,” said Ruth Zurbriggen, a of Socorristas en Red, an organisation that supportswomen who abort in Argentina.

“We know that if we’re not keeping the pressure on, this right won’t be won,” said Mac Dougall.