Ecuador was the first South American country to grant women the right to vote. However, for women the vote would remain optional until 1967, while for men the vote was compulsory.
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Matilde Hidalgo
Matilde Hidalgo was a pivotal figure in the fight for women's rights in Ecuador. In 1924, she argued in court for her right to vote, taking into advantage the lack of any gender-based restrictions in the 1897 Ecuatorian Constitution. She became the first Ecuatorian and Latina woman to vote, paving the way for the change in law that would arrive with the 1929 Constitution.
Matilde Hidalgo
A Timespace showing the evolution of women's right to vote around the world. Cover image by Giacomo Ferroni. Under construction!