Elvira Rawson de Dellepiane

Early years

Rawson de Dellepiane was born in Junín, Argentina. She belonged to the renowned family of dean Gregorio Funes who was considered the father of history of Argentina. She was educated in Buenos Aires, receiving her university doctoral degree in medicine on 29 September 1892 from the University of Buenos Aires. Earlier to this, she had obtained a certificate from the Ecole Normale de Mendoza in teaching after that she had worked as a teacher for one year before starting her medical education. A year earlier, she married Doctor Manuel Dellepiane. Her doctoral thesis which received the acclaim of Gregorio Araoz Alfaro, a renowned physician of Argentina, was on "Notes on hygiene in women". She had seven children.

Career

After her graduation she started practice medicine. She devotedly concentrated on many projects promoted numerous projects, which included the Establishment of the first school cafeteria in the country. In 1919, she was one of the founders of the Association Pro-Derechos de la Mujer. From 1920 to 1922, she served as professor in hygiene and child care at the National Home for Military Orphans (1920–22). In 1916, she was the organizer and director of the first vacation home for chronically-ill women teachers, the Vacation Colony in Uspallata. During the period of 1907 to 1918, she was a medical inspector for the National Department of Hygiene (Departamento Nacional de Higiene). She served on the National Council of Education (Consejo Nacional de Educación) (1919–34).

In her commitment towards promoting rights of women in Argentina, she established the Centro Feminista in 1905, which was subsequently named as the Centro Juana Manuela Gorriti. In 1910, she pioneered the movement to establish civil code for women. In 1919, she established the Asociación Pro-Derechos de la Mujer; Alfonsina Storni, the Argentine writer and many others were her associates in this effort.

Among her career achievements are establishing the National Women's Council, participation in the First International Women's Congress in 1910, which was held in Buenos Aires, promoting subjects of Sociology, Law and Education, establishing the Maternal Center, known as "Juana Gorriti" (maternity home for unwed mothers) in 1910, founding the Association for Women-rights in 1919, making the practice of a "glass of milk" compulsory in schools, and writing many reports on the status and condition of women, and school households.

Biography

Born in Junín, Argentina on April 19, 1867, into a family related to the father of Argentine history, dean Gregorio Funes, Rawson de Dellepiane grew up in a tightly knit community that took care of its own, whether rich or poor. Experiencing this compassion and equality profoundly influenced her choice of careers. She became a doctor, the second woman to receive the degree in Argentina, and an activist for women's and children's rights.

She entered Buenos Aires' medical school and received her diploma on 29 September 1892 upon the completion of her thesis "Apuntes sobre higiene de la mujer". As a hospital intern, she joined other students to care for injured soldiers in the Revolución del Parque in 1890.

With her degree in hand, Rawson de Dellepiane practiced medicine and began a lifelong career promoting health as a medical inspector for both the Departamento Nacional de Higiene (1907-1918) and the Consejo Nacional de Educación (1919-1934). While in these positions, she promoted numerous projects including establishing the first school cafeteria in Argentina. Argentina guaranteed few rights for women in the early 20th Century. Recognizing that organizing was an effective approach to press for these rights, she helped to establish the Centro Feminista in 1905. The Centro later changed its name to the Centro Juana Manuela Gorriti to soften its radical image. 1910 brought the first efforts to promote the reform of the civil code to include women's rights. Rawson de Dellepiane led this movement with the support of other women's groups. The following quote from a speech she argues that women contributed the Argentina's society and answered to its laws, so they should have full rights.

"Queremos todos los derechos politicos debiendo ser tantos electoras como elegidas, porque desde que pagamos impuestos, trabajamos en el progreso del país y somos responsables ante las leyes, debemos poder legislar en todo lo que atañe a la grandeza de nuestra Patria..." Font, Miguel J. La mujer: Encuesta feminista. Buenos Aires, 1921. p. 79

Her commitment to women's rights led her to found the Asociación Pro-Derechos de la Mujer in 1919 along with the Argentine writer, Alfonsina Storni, and others. The group's objectives included ridding the civil code of articles that established differences between the sexes, promoting equal pay and The Association's presence was recognized by the major Argentine political parties of the day, although few policy changes occurred due to this attention.

Rawson de Dellepiane died on 4 June 1954 at the age of 87. The mother of seven children, she might also be considered the mother of women's rights in Argentina.