The Argentine human rights activist Rosa Roisinblit has died at the age of 106, her organization declared. As an honorary president and a founding member of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, Roisinblit was instrumental in the search for children stolen during Argentina's military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.
The campaign group praised her immense dedication and love for the grandsons and granddaughters she sought to reunite with their families, stating, We only have words of gratitude for her dedication... until the very end. During the dark period known as Argentina's Dirty War, approximately 30,000 individuals were killed or disappeared, with many children taken from their detained activist parents.
Born in 1919 in Moises Ville, a town of Jewish immigrants, Rosa Roisinblit worked as an obstetrician after moving to Buenos Aires in 1949. Her activism was sparked by the abduction of her family members during the military coup of March 1976. Her daughter, Patricia, son-in-law, and granddaughter were among those kidnapped, and Rosa devoted herself to finding her stolen family members through the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, serving as treasurer and later vice-president until last year.
Roisinblit’s search led to the eventual reunion with her grandson Guillermo, discovered in 2000, after DNA tests confirmed their relation. She was active until her final years, attending trials of those responsible for the abductions and continuing to advocate for justice.
The legacy of Rosa Roisinblit survives in the ongoing work of human rights defenders. Her grandson Guillermo, now a human rights lawyer, continues the fight, stating in a heartfelt tribute, After 46 years, she is reunited with my mom and with her great love, my grandfather Benjamín.
