The Argentine human rights activist Rosa Roisinblit has died at the age of 106, her organization announced.
As an honorary president and founding member of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, Roisinblit dedicated her life to searching for children who were stolen during Argentina's military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. The organization expressed gratitude for her tireless dedication and love in the search for her grandsons and granddaughters until the very end.
An estimated 30,000 people were victims of enforced disappearances or killed during Argentina's Dirty War, with many children of detained opposition activists seized and given up for adoption.
Born in 1919 in Moises Ville, a town founded by Jewish immigrants, Roisinblit was an obstetrician who moved to Buenos Aires in 1949 and married in 1951. The turning point in her life came with the military coup in March 1976, which led to the forced disappearance of hundreds of activists. Among them were Roisinblit's pregnant daughter Patricia, her son-in-law José, and her 15-month-old granddaughter Mariana.
Roisinblit joined the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo after her family's abduction, serving as treasurer for six years and later as vice-president until 2022. Through her relentless efforts and the organization's work, she was reunited with her granddaughter Mariana in the years following their abduction.
Roisinblit's grandson Guillermo was also found through the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, and has since dedicated his career to human rights law, continuing his grandmother's legacy. His poignant message following her passing reflected both his grief and comfort in knowing she is reunited with their family members lost during the dictatorship.
Roisinblit's story is a testament to resilience in the face of unimaginable loss, as she observed: This wound never heals... But to say I'm stopping? No, I'll never stop. Her life's work has truly left an indelible mark on Argentina and the global fight for human rights.
