Original article: “No permitiremos retrocesos”: diputadas reactivan Bancada Feminista para fiscalizar derechos de las mujeres bajo Kast

Women Legislators Revive Feminist Caucus to Safeguard Women’s Rights Under Kast Administration

“We will not allow setbacks in basic rights for us, the women”, declared Deputy Carolina Tello (FA), announcing the reactivation of the Julieta Kirkwood Feminist Caucus this Wednesday.

More than twenty opposition legislators have gathered in this political mobilization space to address the current legislative cycle from 2026 to 2030, aiming to oversee the enforcement of regulations that benefit women and that, according to their warnings, are at risk of being dismantled under a far-right government led by José Antonio Kast.

“Today is an important day. The Julieta Kirkwood feminist caucus has reactivated for this period of 2026-2030. We have gathered more than 20 opposition deputies who identify as feminists and who will strongly oversee the enforcement of various regulations we managed to advance during the previous legislative period,” stated Tello.

The group aims not only to be a meeting point but also to enhance legislative action in favor of equality, rights, and women’s autonomy.

The reactivation of this caucus, named after the historic sociologist, political scientist, and feminist activist, occurs in a context where legislators perceive a latent threat to the advances achieved in the last decade. Therefore, they have designed a thematic oversight agenda that will unfold over the coming months, prioritizing sensitive areas that could be affected by budget cuts or changes in government regulations and orientations.

The goal is to gather concrete evidence about the real impact of these changes on women’s lives, particularly regarding economic issues, caregiving, and access to fundamental rights.

In September, the focus will be on sexual and reproductive rights, taking advantage of the commemoration of September 28, the Global Day of Action for Abortion. The deputies seek to oversee the application of the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy (IVE) law and ensure that the grounds remain accessible for girls and women. Subsequently, in October, oversight will focus on critical budget areas for women’s autonomy, such as early education, the caregiving system, Family Courts, and SERVIU, to prevent funding cuts from exacerbating inequality gaps. Finally, in November, the work will concentrate on the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Law against Violence towards Women.

Deputy Ana María Gazmuri valued the initiative not only as a meeting space but also for the political coordination necessary to face the current context, where the reforms promoted by the government of José Antonio Kast, “are not neutral for women, girls, and youth in our country, as they will clearly always be more affected than the rest of the population, especially in economic, caregiving, and rights-related matters.”

In the same vein, Deputy Andrea Parra emphasized the importance of women feminists being organized in the face of a conservative government, recalling that the caucus has historically served as a platform to generate legislative initiatives. “United, we will raise our voices to prevent setbacks,” she stressed, in statements reported by G5 Noticias, highlighting the need to maintain unity to protect acquired rights.

Deputy Constanza Schönhaut was direct in critiquing the “evident indifference and passivity of the Minister of Women”, Judith Marín, and the Kast administration, making it urgent to create a space for coordination that more strongly promotes the rights of all Chilean women.

Among the issues that require immediate protection, she mentioned the implementation of the law against violence, the budget for the National Care System, and the continuation of programs for rural women. The caucus, composed of more than twenty deputies from various opposition parties and political groups, such as Carolina Tello, Andrea Parra, Carolina Cucumides, Constanza Schönhaut, Natalie Castillo, Daniela Serrano, Coca Ñanco, Ana María Gazmuri, Gael Yeomans, Lorena Fries, Sofía González, Iraci Hassler, Lorena Pizarro, Andrea Macías, Javiera Morales, Emilia Schneider, Javiera Morales, María Francisca Bello, Valentina Cáceres, Priscila Castillo, and Tatiana Urrutia, thus emerges as a monitoring counterweight that promises to oversee every action of the Executive to ensure that existing resources and laws are fully enforced, solidifying the defense of equality as a priority political action axis in the new legislative landscape.