Was the fight for women’s right to vote really that difficult? Here at the Sufragistes. Jardins de Clara Campoamor Plaque we honor the suffragettes. Their movement demanded women’s right to vote on equal terms with men. The Sufragistes movement began in the USA in 1848. It soon spread to Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
In the early 20th century feminist organizations fought for the vote. They laid the foundations for feminist thought. This thought demanded recognition of women’s legal educational cultural and labor rights.
The Second Republic arrived in 1931. Women gained representation in the Spanish Parliament. However they still could not vote. It was not until the general elections in 1933 that women were called to the ballot box. This was the first time in the country’s history. It was thanks to the persistence of the Sufragistes.
Clara Campoamor played a key role. She was a Radical Party MP. Campoamor defended women’s democratic right to vote in the Congress of Deputies. She saw it as an imperative necessity. A woman of republican and feminist ideals Campoamor also fought for the Divorce Act. She helped improve the rights of children too.
Clara Campoamor was born in Madrid in 1888. She died in Lausanne in 1972. She had to go into exile in 1939. First she went to France. Later she moved to Switzerland. There she worked as a lawyer. She also translated Spanish classics and wrote for magazines.
The constituent assembly approved women’s right to vote in 1931. This was a historic moment. It is being marked ninety years on with activities to regain the memory. The activities remember the women who made it possible to achieve this fundamental right.
Clara Campoamor stood up for women’s right to vote. She saw it as essential for building a fairer society. The parliamentary debate concluded with a historic vote on October 1 1931. It gained approval with 161 votes in favor 121 against and 188 abstentions.
The feminist movement in Spain gained force in the late 1920s. This followed the lead of suffragettes in the USA and UK. The Asociacion Nacional de Mujeres Espanolas was created in 1918. Figures such as Carmen de Burgos and Clara Campoamor were involved. The first major feminist demonstration in Spain was in 1921.
The approval of women’s suffrage was a major victory. In 1933 women voted for the first time in Spain. In 1936 Frederica Montseny became the first woman minister in Western Europe. A year later Montseny named Amparo Poch as head of Social Care. She received child refugees in Barcelona.
With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War women like Clara Campoamor had to flee. They went into exile to avoid persecution prison or death. The dictatorship meant rights gained were forgotten. There was no voting again until 1977. Then democracy was restored.
The goal is to regain the legacy of the women of the republic. It is important to remember Clara Campoamor’s role in achieving the vote for women. We must reflect on the past present and future of feminism.
Here at Sufragistes. Jardins de Clara Campoamor Plaque we remember their fight. We honor their victory. We continue their legacy.