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BOLIVIA: Building an inclusive society without gender violence
Although Bolivian law formally enshrines gender equality, 75% of partnered women are still threatened by violence. Eliminating this widespread scourge will require preventive action, changes in mindset, and tailored services. Through education, training, and dialogue with targeted town halls, Oxfam-Québec and our partners are working with the populations of seven Bolivian municipalities to promote women’s rights and break the vicious circle of violence.
The “Women of Bolivia – Your Rights, Your Budget” project in brief:
29,186 people supported
(57% of women and
90% of youth ages 13-28)
La Paz, El Alto, Viacha, Cochabamba, Colcapirhua, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Pailón
2019 – 2024
(5 years)
Gender violence persists
In Bolivia, 117 women were murdered in 2019, the equivalent of one death every three days. The frequency of femicide is worrisome in a country which claims to be waging a “frontal assault against violence, abuse and indifference.”. Despite a strong political will and recent progress toward gender parity, Bolivia is struggling to reduce the gender inequalities fueling these acts of violence.
For its part, local culture leans toward social acceptance of inequalities and violence. In Bolivia, discrimination targets women, young people and Indigenous communities in particular. Such discrimination is bolstered by a lack of public investment in prevention and the minimal consideration given to the needs and rights of women, particularly at the local level.
Building a more inclusive society
Reducing acts of gender violence also serves to build a more inclusive society. Violence against women constitutes the greatest barrier to the exercise of their rights and the achievement of their economic, political and social independence. The Women of Bolivia: Your Rights, Your Budget project led by Oxfam-Québec and its partners in Bolivia seeks to redress this injustice by:
► supporting the acknowledgement of women’s rights throughout society (among women themselves, but also youth, men, and key decision-makers in the seven targeted municipalities); and
► by devoting greater attention to gender within local communities, through development of municipal programs and budgets that address the needs and rights of women.
Youth mobilize to end violence
“We have deconstructed the macho mindset instilled by our society, families, culture, and daily habits, to rebuild our ideas, perceptions, and way of life.”
ACTÚA – Detén la violencia (Act – End Violence) is a campaign led for and by young people in Bolivia. It seeks to promote healthy couple relationships and shatter public indifference about acts of gender violence that target youth.
During the quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, awareness-raising messages published on social media reached 43,000 young people.
Follow ACTÚA on Facebook
Mobilizing communities to build an equal future
By 2024, this project will help build a more inclusive society free of gender violence.
Participation of 60 local youth and women’s organizations and collectives in the project
Nearly 30,000 people reached directly, 90% of whom will be young women and men
7 targeted municipalities in Bolivia (La Paz, El Alto, Viacha, Cochabamba, Colcapirhua, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Pailón)
Women and youth leaders develop action plans and communicate them to municipal councils to make municipal budgets, programs and services more responsive to their needs
75,000 people educated about egalitarian models of gender relations through ACTUA social media messages
Training of 500 women and young women in feminist leadership
Training offered on the use of digital tools and virtual communications
More than 850 women and men leaders trained and equipped to develop municipal programs and services for the rights of women and young women
700 influential people (e.g. working in education) trained to prevent violence against women and girls
Capacity building for youth activism and leadership
Support for the COVID-19 pandemic
In order to adapt to COVID-19, Oxfam-Québec distributed biosafety kits (masks, disinfectant gel, gloves, etc.) to the municipal integrated legal services in the cities targeted by the project.
These municipal integrated legal services are made up of multidisciplinary teams offering free psychological, social and legal counseling and support services. They play an important role in promoting and protecting the rights of women and families against domestic violence.
The biosafety kits allowed the teams to safely continue their frontline work in supporting women victims of violence during the pandemic.
This project is carried out :
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