Bolivian women demonstrate for law to end political violence against female leaders

Two years after the murder of an outspoken female councillor ushered in new legislation outlawing political violence against women in Bolivia, campaigners say a culture of harassment remains, as Paula Dear reports from La Paz.

Juana Quispe's lifeless body was dumped near the Orkojahuira River, in La Paz region. She had been strangled.

Her murder - one of a series of violent attacks against elected female leaders across Bolivia - sparked nationwide protests and led to the adoption of a long-delayed law to tackle the issue.

Two years on, no-one has been convicted of her killing and female political leaders report an enduring crisis of physical and verbal attacks, harassment and threats against them, which campaigners claim undermines Bolivia's democracy.

The violence experienced by Ms Quispe, who had been helping female colleagues file complaints of harassment, was not an isolated case.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-26446066

One would have thought this sort of gross harassment was already illegal?

 

IT'S one thing to have a law put into place.

AND quite another to get a lazy and corrupt local police force, and courts, to enforce those laws..

ESPECIALLY in the more remote areas, (doubly so in a still-evolving country like Bolivia); or in those places where the killers wield exessive political power and/or influence.

That's a shame. I thought Bolivia was an enlightened country:

Bolivia Gives Legal Rights To The Earth

Law of Mother Earth sees Bolivia pilot new social and economic model based on protection of and respect for nature.

Bolivia is to become the first country in the world to give nature comprehensive legal rights in an effort to halt climate change and the exploitation of the natural world, and to improve quality of life for the Bolivian people. Developed by grassroots social groups and agreed by politicians, the Law of Mother Earth recognises the rights of all living things, giving the natural world equal status to human beings. Once fully approved, the legislation will provide the Earth with rights to: life and regeneration; biodiversity and freedom from genetic modification; pure water; clean air; naturally balanced systems; restoration from the effects of human activity; and freedom from contamination...

http://naturalhealthwarriors.com/bolivia-gives-legal-rights-to-the-earth/

Just shows you can't take one story in isolation.

That's really interesting Tess, hadn't seen it before. Shame they are not giving women the same protection!