Born: 1949 (Barcelona, Catalonia)
Biography:
Montserrat Cervera Rodon, born on July 27, 1949, in Barcelona, is a Catalan anti-militarist, feminist, and women’s health activist. She has dedicated her life to advocating for women’s rights, particularly in the areas of abortion rights and women’s health. Her extensive involvement in feminist actions and campaigns has made a significant impact on society.
With a degree in Contemporary History from the University of Barcelona, specializing in the oral history of women, Cervera Rodon has always been linked to feminist non-governmental spaces and groups. One of her notable affiliations was with the Centro de Análisis y Programas Sanitarios (Center for Analysis and Health Programs), where she devoted 25 years of her career, starting in 1997. During her time at the center, she focused on women’s health from a feminist perspective, contributing to the advancement of women’s rights in the field.
Having experienced the hardships of the Francoist regime, Cervera Rodon actively participated in the anti-Francoist struggle through university movements and the student union as a member of the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR). Unfortunately, her dedication to activism led to imprisonment in Madrid for almost three years. Although this prevented her from attending the 1976 Jornadas Catalanas de la Mujer (Catalan Women’s Conference), she continued to make significant contributions to the feminist movement.
Cervera Rodon was finally released in November 1976, after which she joined a women’s committee. Since then, she has remained committed to feminist movements and the fight for women’s liberation. In 1985, she organized a prominent protest camp against the army and the construction of a military academy for women in Tortosa. Supported by numerous feminist groups and Dones Antimilitaristes (DOAN), this protest had a profound impact on both experiential and political levels, causing a crisis in the municipal government and leading to the opposition party PPP’s involvement.
Continuing her activism, Cervera Rodon attended the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp in 1987 with the DOAN group, further cementing her place in the antimilitarist movement. She actively participates in women’s health networks such as RedCAPS and Xarxa de Dones per la Salut in Catalonia. Her dedication to women’s health has led to her inclusion on the advisory board of the magazine Mujeres y Salud (MyS).
Cervera Rodon’s involvement in feminist spaces is extensive. She is a member of Ca la Dona, a feminist space, as well as the antimilitarist group Dones per Dones. She is connected to the Xarxa Feminista de Catalunya network and participates in Novembre Feminista. In June 1922, she served as a panelist at a Round Table of the Counter-Summit for Peace organized by the Platform for Peace Against Wars. NATO No Bases Outside.
Montserrat Cervera Rodon’s contributions extend to motherhood as well. She is a mother to a son and a daughter, ensuring that her commitment to women’s rights extends to her personal life.