Between 8 and 9 August, our deputy director, Camila B. Maia, participated in the conference Diálogos Intermovimientos sobre la Democracia: de la crisis a la acción ("Inter-movement dialogues on democracy: from crisis to action"), which was organised by the Latin-American Consortium against Unsafe Abortion and IPAS Lac in Lima, Peru. 

More than 90 activists from Latin America took part in two days of rich discussions regarding the most relevant social and political changes this region is facing. These changes are impacting democratic institutions, political culture, and the effective guarantee of human rights, especially sexual and reproductive rights.

At the inaugural panel, four experienced activists and experts discussed the prominent trends threatening democracy and strategic ideas for responding to them. They mentioned a crisis of democratic agreements and a conservative state of things.

Sonia Correa (ORG, Brazil) stated, "Democracies are recent, fragile, and imperfect—they have failed to deliver what they promised."  Maria Esperanza Casullo, from Argentina, also brought to the debate the relevance of the gender divide; the vote of young men extensively explains the performance of right-wing populism. These sectors not only portray misogynist and aggressive ideas but also support the free market as a disciplinary force of society.   

In the next panel, "Democracy in an unequal region: how to integrate economy, nature, and race into our work?" our deputy director, Camila B. Maia, spoke about the nexus between neoliberal policies and the extreme right in Latin America. She highlighted that the privatisation and lack of investment in public services have been driving people away from the State. At the same time, the growth in inequality has roots in an unjust international financial architecture. Globally, the southern countries have increasingly lower fiscal space and monetary sovereignty. 

Diana Guzmán from Dejusticia said democracy needs to regain its substantive value. The climate crisis, the horrible violations caused by the extractive industry, and structural racism are additional challenges to which democratic institutions must respond if they are to remain relevant. 

What strategies could we have to respond to these trends? 

Multiple interventions emerged with the idea of the importance of building communities and, as Casullo put it, "protecting the domain of life." In fragmented societies, social movements and civil society organisations must work beyond thematic priorities and overcome short-term thinking and the limitations imposed by existing funding models. 

To conclude her intervention, our deputy director stressed the relevance of "inter-movement" dialogues such as this one to create space for collective strategies. The importance of sexual and reproductive health organisations defending public healthcare systems cannot be underestimated. She also invited the participants to join campaigns for more progressive international and national tax systems. These reforms are crucial to refunding the States and moving towards more legitimate, just, and sustainable democracies.