"Bolivian women are breaking down barriers to seek political power"

In the last years in Bolivia has existed an increasing tendency in which women have begun to participate in politics. Many of them have similar history, begging as leader in a social organization and achieving a local public office.

“The principal obstacle to get a public office is the domestic duties and economic issues” express Lucinda Villca, a council woman of Santiago de Andamarca. She is a aymara woman who has seven sons and she is leader of her ayllu. She participated recently in a national meeting of woman leaders of rural zones, realized in Cochabamba.

Another experience of feminine participation in politics is it realized by María Cuñaendi. She is a Guarani council woman of Urubichá, one of Bolivia's poorest areas. Her politic career started working with a women`s organization and planted rice and corn to support her children and husband. She never thinks to have a public office. “There is no time to organize or have interest in politics” says her.

In San Julián, another municipality of Santa Cruz, Yolanda Cuellar, a Guarani, was deemed to be "too young" to hold a municipal position. She was 21 years old and she participated in the Without Fear Movement, opposing the Movement to Socialism party, which is part of the government. But, her husband supports her and he gave energies to achieve to get the office.

However the last cases, there are many bureaucratic barriers and a lack of support to implement the politics of the woman.  But the bolivian government have implemented a law that obligate that the 50 per cent of the public offices will be for women and they are applied the Semilla’s Programme as a way to helps women in rural districts exercise their economic and political rights

I choose these news because I consider that the Social Anthropology have many things to investigate in the politic dimension. The discipline should show interest for understand numerous forms of integration.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/aug/06/bolivian-women-barriers-political-power