The Argentine human rights activist Rosa Roisinblit has died at the age of 106, her organization announced.
Roisinblit was an honorary president and founding member of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group dedicated to finding children stolen during Argentina's military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.
In a heartfelt statement, the campaign group expressed, We only have words of gratitude for her dedication... and the love with which she searched for the grandsons and granddaughters until the very end. During the 'Dirty War', around 30,000 individuals were killed or forcibly disappeared, with many children of detained opposition activists seized for illegal adoption.
Born in 1919 in Moises Ville, Argentina, Roisinblit trained as an obstetrician and relocated to Buenos Aires in 1949. Her activism was deeply personal; her daughter Patricia, son-in-law José Pérez Rojo, and 15-month-old granddaughter Mariana were kidnapped in 1978.
After her family's abduction, Roisinblit joined the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, where she served as treasurer and later vice-president. Her relentless pursuit for justice culminated in the reunion with her grandson Guillermo in 2000, decades after he was adopted illegally.
Roisinblit's life and work have been instrumental in reuniting hundreds of families separated during the state terrorism of the 1970s and 1980s. Although many children remain missing, approximately 140 have been returned to their biological families thanks to her organization. Reflecting on her relentless dedication, Roisinblit once stated, This wound never heals... But to say I'm stopping? No, I'll never stop.
Guillermo, now a human rights lawyer active within the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, announced her passing with a poignant message, noting the comfort he finds in her reunion with his mother and grandfather.
Rosa Roisinblit is survived by her granddaughter Mariana Eva Perez, a prominent writer and academic, who carries forward the legacy of fighting for human rights and justice.
