Rosa Roisinblit, the Argentine human rights activist renowned for her tireless work with the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, has passed away at the age of 106. Her organization announced her death, commemorating her remarkable dedication to searching for children stolen during Argentina's military regime from 1976 to 1983.
“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,” the group stated.
Historical accounts reveal that around 30,000 individuals were killed or forcibly disappeared during Argentina's 'Dirty War,' with many children of detainees taken and put up for illegal adoption.
Born in 1919 in Moises Ville, Rosa studied medicine and specialized in obstetrics. After relocating to Buenos Aires in 1949, her life was irrevocably transformed following the military coup in 1976 that saw her pregnant daughter, Patricia Roisinblit, son-in-law José Pérez Rojo, and 15-month-old granddaughter Mariana kidnapped.
Desperate for answers, Rosa became a member of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, where she served as treasurer for six years and later as vice-president until 2022. Through this organization, an estimated 140 children have been reunited with their biological families, although hundreds are still missing.
Notably, her grandson Guillermo was located in 2000, marking a pivotal moment in Rosa's advocacy work. Their reunion was facilitated through DNA tests that confirmed their familial ties.
Roisinblit was present in court for various trials linked to the abduction of her family members, expressing in her later years, “This wound never heals... But to say I'm stopping? No, I'll never stop.”
Her conviction to fight for human rights remains clear in the message she left behind: “We fight but the heroes are our children who rose up against a fierce dictatorship and gave their lives for a better country.”
Rosa's legacy is carried on not only by her family, including her granddaughter Mariana, who is a writer and academic but also through the ongoing efforts of human rights activists throughout Argentina and beyond.
In a heartfelt tribute, Guillermo reflected on his grandmother's passing, noting the bittersweet solace of her reunion with loved ones after decades apart.
