Josefina Valencia Muñoz
Encyclopedia
Josefina Valencia Muñóz (22 September 1913 - 4 October 1991) was a Colombian activist and politician, a leader of the Women's suffrage
movement in Colombia and the first woman to ever head a Colombian Ministry
as well as the first female Governor of a Department of Colombia. As a Member of the Colombian Constituent Assembly of 1954, she approved the Legislative Act No. 3, which granted women the right to vote.
, Colombia on 22 September 1913 to Guillermo Valencia Castillo and his wife Josefina Muñóz Muñóz, the third child of five, her siblings were Guillermo León, Álvaro Pío, Luz and Guimar.
In 1943 she married Enrique Hubach Eggers, a Chilean
geologist and scientist, with whom she had two daughters, Martha and Erna Hubach Valencia, and a third one who died at a young age.
, a Congressman, Minister of Finance
, Governor, and presidential candidate in the elections of 1918, and 1930, and her brother Guillermo León had been Councilman, Congressman, Minister of Foreign Affairs
, and Ambassador. Because of her family connections and education, Valencia de Hubach was an intelligent and influential woman who involved herself in the daily politics of her time, a time when women however, were kept out of politics and could not yet vote.
It was her natural disposition to public life that led Valencia de Hubach to join and launch of the Women's suffrage movement in Colombia in order to achieve a greater political status for women. In April 1954, the National Feminist Organization (Organización Feminista Nacional) under the leadership of former First Lady Bertha Hernández Fernández, and María Currea de Aya was created and attracted women from different sides of the political spectrum, from Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid
(liberal) to Josefina Valencia (conservative).
When General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
came to power in a military coup d'état, the women's suffrage movement had an ideological split between those who opposed military rule and those who supported the regime. Valencia de Hubach seized the opportunity and joined the National Popular Alliance
, a political movement started by General Rojas Pinilla. Valencia de Hubach became a supported and confidant of General Rojas Pinilla in a time when the support of women was becoming more and more important. Her direct lobbying to the President paid off, in an unusual move, General Rojas Pinilla had maintained the National Constituent Assembly
that had been started by the deposed Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez
in order to legitimaze his rule, and appointed Valencia de Hubach and Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid to said assembly (the first women to be part of a Colombian legistative body) where they introduced the Legislative Act on the Citizenship of Women to be studied and debated by the assembly. On 25 August 1954 the plenary
of the National Constituyent Assembly approved the Legislative Act No. 3 which modified Article 171 of the Colombian Constitution of 1886
, granting universal suffrage to women.
On 21 September 1955, General Rojas Pinilla thanked Josefina Valencia de Hubach by appointing her Governor of her native Department of Cauca, the first woman to ever exercise an executive position in the country, a post in which she served until September 16, 1956, when she was called to Bogotá to serve as the first female government minister, in the Ministry of National Education
.
By means of Decree No. 1283 of 19 June 1957, the Colombian Military Junta
that succeeded Rojas Pinilla in the executive, appointed her Permanent Delegate of Colombia to the UNESCO
in Paris
, becoming the first Ambassadress of Colombia.
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
movement in Colombia and the first woman to ever head a Colombian Ministry
Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia is part of the executive power, and according to the presidential orientation of the Colombian Constitution of 1991, it is a cabinet of advisors to the President of Colombia.-19th century:...
as well as the first female Governor of a Department of Colombia. As a Member of the Colombian Constituent Assembly of 1954, she approved the Legislative Act No. 3, which granted women the right to vote.
Background
Josefina Valencia Muñoz was born in PopayánPopayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, Colombia on 22 September 1913 to Guillermo Valencia Castillo and his wife Josefina Muñóz Muñóz, the third child of five, her siblings were Guillermo León, Álvaro Pío, Luz and Guimar.
In 1943 she married Enrique Hubach Eggers, a Chilean
Chilean people
Chilean people, or simply Chileans, are the native citizens and long-term immigrants of Chile. Chileans are mainly of Spanish and Amerindian descent, with small but significant traces of 19th and 20th century European immigrant origin...
geologist and scientist, with whom she had two daughters, Martha and Erna Hubach Valencia, and a third one who died at a young age.
Career
Valencia de Hubach was already familiar with the politics of Colombia in the 1950s; her father, Guillermo Valencia had been an active member of the Colombian Conservative PartyColombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
, a Congressman, Minister of Finance
Ministry of Finance and Public Credit
The Ministry of Finance and Public Credit , is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the financial and budgetary matters of the country as well as implementing the financial policies passed by Congress, equivalent to the finance ministries of other...
, Governor, and presidential candidate in the elections of 1918, and 1930, and her brother Guillermo León had been Councilman, Congressman, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also known as the Chancellery, is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the foreign relations of Colombia through its diplomatic missions abroad by formulating foreign policy relevant to the matters of the State, it is...
, and Ambassador. Because of her family connections and education, Valencia de Hubach was an intelligent and influential woman who involved herself in the daily politics of her time, a time when women however, were kept out of politics and could not yet vote.
It was her natural disposition to public life that led Valencia de Hubach to join and launch of the Women's suffrage movement in Colombia in order to achieve a greater political status for women. In April 1954, the National Feminist Organization (Organización Feminista Nacional) under the leadership of former First Lady Bertha Hernández Fernández, and María Currea de Aya was created and attracted women from different sides of the political spectrum, from Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid
Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid
Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid was a Colombian activist, politician and diplomat, a leader of the women's suffrage movement in Colombia and the first woman to ever be elected to the Congress of Colombia, former Ambassador to Austria and Yugoslavia, and former Minister of Communications...
(liberal) to Josefina Valencia (conservative).
When General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
came to power in a military coup d'état, the women's suffrage movement had an ideological split between those who opposed military rule and those who supported the regime. Valencia de Hubach seized the opportunity and joined the National Popular Alliance
National Popular Alliance
The National Popular Alliance or ANAPO was a political party in Colombia. It was founded in 1961 as a movement by the ex-president Gustavo Rojas Pinilla and was disbanded in 1998...
, a political movement started by General Rojas Pinilla. Valencia de Hubach became a supported and confidant of General Rojas Pinilla in a time when the support of women was becoming more and more important. Her direct lobbying to the President paid off, in an unusual move, General Rojas Pinilla had maintained the National Constituent Assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
that had been started by the deposed Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez
Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez
Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez was a Colombian Conservative party politician who served as President of Colombia from November 1951 until June 1953, while President Laureano Gómez was absent due to health issues.- Biographic data :...
in order to legitimaze his rule, and appointed Valencia de Hubach and Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid to said assembly (the first women to be part of a Colombian legistative body) where they introduced the Legislative Act on the Citizenship of Women to be studied and debated by the assembly. On 25 August 1954 the plenary
Plenary
Plenary is an adjective related to the noun plenum carrying a general connotation of fullness.Plenary may refer to:*Plenary session or meeting, the part of a conference when all members of all parties are in attendance,...
of the National Constituyent Assembly approved the Legislative Act No. 3 which modified Article 171 of the Colombian Constitution of 1886
Colombian Constitution of 1886
The Colombian Constitution of 1886 was the constitution that created the Republic of Colombia. Before 1886, the country was called United States of Colombia. The coalition of moderate Liberals and Conservatives that ended the liberal hegemony and placed Rafael Nuñez in power repealed the...
, granting universal suffrage to women.
On 21 September 1955, General Rojas Pinilla thanked Josefina Valencia de Hubach by appointing her Governor of her native Department of Cauca, the first woman to ever exercise an executive position in the country, a post in which she served until September 16, 1956, when she was called to Bogotá to serve as the first female government minister, in the Ministry of National Education
Ministry of National Education (Colombia)
The Ministry of National Education is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for overseeing the instruction and education of the Colombian people, similar to education ministries in other countries.-List of Ministers:...
.
By means of Decree No. 1283 of 19 June 1957, the Colombian Military Junta
Colombian Military Junta
The Colombian Military Junta was a Colombian transitional government established between 1957 and 1958, replacing President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. The junta's members were:* General Gabriel París Gordillo* Brigadier Rafael Navas Pardo...
that succeeded Rojas Pinilla in the executive, appointed her Permanent Delegate of Colombia to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, becoming the first Ambassadress of Colombia.