Skip to content

3 min read

Colombian women use sex strike to hold government accountable during road repair,

Summary

In 2013, women in Barbacoas, Colombia, launched a second sex strike to pressure the government to fulfill its 2011 promise to repair a critical road [source: nv-database]. The strike involved around 300 women and lasted from late April to early October. The campaign achieved partial success: the Army repaired 5 miles and nearly completed 11 more miles, but the project stalled due to lack of full funding.

Tactics used

Tactics used

Background

The remote town of Barbacoas in southern Colombia was connected to the region by only one 57 km highway, which was in major disrepair due to political instability, guerrilla warfare, and neglect. The poor road conditions led to deaths of people, including mothers in labor, as ambulances got stuck. In 2011, women launched a sex strike that secured a $21 million government pledge for repairs, but work stalled due to delays and a soldier’s killing [source: nv-database].

What happened

lead photo

Lead photo. — Mujeres Colombia (CC BY 2.0). Source: colombian-women-use-sex-strike-hold-government-accountable-during-road-repair-2013.png

In late April 2013, women in Barbacoas launched a second ‘Crossed Legs’ campaign, with around 300 participants, to protest continued deaths of expectant mothers on the still-unpaved road and to ensure government promises were fulfilled [source: nv-database]. The strike lasted four months, increasing pressure on local politicians [source: nv-database]. On 10 October 2013, the Army announced that engineers were actively repaving the road, with 5 miles completely restored and nearly 11 more miles of the 34-mile highway nearing completion, but the previously allocated $21 million had been spent [source: nv-database]. Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Roque stated that construction on the remaining half would not begin until an additional $53 million was allocated [source: nv-database]. There are no reports of the strike continuing after this point or of the road being fully completed [source: nv-database].

Key people & organizations

  • Maribel Silva
  • Luz Marina Castillo
  • Ruby Quinonez
  • Colombian government
  • National Minister of Transport
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Roque

Outcome

Verdict: partial.

The campaign was moderately successful: the government actively worked on the road and completed about half the needed repairs, but the project stalled again because the government did not allocate the required additional $53 million. The strike was called off after the Army’s announcement, but there is no evidence the road was ever fully finished. [source: nv-database]

Lessons

  • A sex strike can generate significant media and political pressure, especially when linked to a clear humanitarian issue like maternal mortality.
  • Sustained nonviolent action may secure partial concessions, but without continued funding commitments, progress can stall.
  • Repeating a successful tactic from an earlier campaign can renew attention and pressure on unfulfilled promises.

Sources

Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.

Sources & verification

  • nv-database — grounding: primary — license: link-only
  • Rewritten: 2026-07-04 via worker_casestudies_v2.py

Last verified: 2026-07-09