Bolivia: Parity, Empowerment, and Institutional Change

While Bolivia’s population is majority indigenous, it is only with the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party elected in 2006 that this majority acceded directly to political representation. Because of the role of indigenous women in that process, women’s representation overall has significantly improved in the last ten years, putting Bolivia at the vanguard in the adoption and implementation of gender-friendly electoral rules. In this chapter, Rousseau outlines the main historical phases in women’s political representation and focuses on the country’s debates and initiatives about electoral gender quotas, political parity, and political harassment based on gender. Throughout this discussion, Rousseau emphasizes the role of the women’s movement, indigenous women, and the importance of indigenous politics in the country’s political transformation.