Women Mayors from South America
> South American female mayors meet to promote women’s health
> Peru’s women mayors join forces to strengthen gender equity
Eva Copa is shaking up politics in Bolivia. After failing to win her party’s nomination to be mayor of El Alto, the country’s second-largest city, she stood against her party’s candidate and won with 69 per cent of the vote. She recently announced the city’s plan for women, which will aim to strengthen women’s rights through policy and investment.
South American female mayors meet to promote women’s health at local level
May 2024: Women’s health will be the focus of debate at an international conference in Bolivia. Organised by the Association of Female Councillors and Mayors of Bolivia (ACOBOL), it will bring together women mayors from across Latin America. They will discuss local governance for health, well-being, equity in health and women's leadership in local politics.
The conference, supported by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, is part of an international project dedicated to ‘improving the health of women and adolescent girls in situations of vulnerability’. Participants will learn how women in leading positions in municipal management can promote health and well-being among women and work towards greater gender equity at the local level.
Women's political participation has historically been underrepresented in the Americas, especially at the local government level. Despite advances in terms of recognising rights and opportunities for women, the gender gap persists, reflected in the low presence of women in municipal leadership positions.
The event is part of a series of actions within the ‘Healthy Municipalities, Cities and Communities Movement (HMCC)’ of the Americas. It will highlight the leadership of women mayors in promoting health and their value as role models. Still, it will also address the significant challenges that women in positions of power face, including political violence due to gender reasons.
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Peru’s women mayors and female President join forces to strengthen gender equity
6 February 2024: More than 50 women mayors from across Peru joined the country’s President Dina Boluarte to discuss how women can play a more prominent role in public life. President Bolourte asked the assembled mayors to work together and share ideas. “The collaboration and unity of female mayors is relevant for the promotion of policies and programmes that address gender equality, the elimination of violence against women, and equitable access to education and health. They are key to the country's progress,” the President emphasised.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Peru has introduced, often groundbreaking, legislation to strengthen gender equity. Of particular significance are the National Gender Equality Policy of 2019 and the Gender Parity Law of 2020. In the 2022 municipal and regional elections, some 102 women were elected as mayors, of which eight were elected at the provincial level and 94 at the district level. Female provincial mayors were elected in the provinces of La Libertad, Lambayeque, Ucayali, Cusco, Ancash, San Martín and Piura.
The regions with the highest proportions of female district mayors are Pasco (15%), I ca (14%), Madre de Dios (13%) and Metropolitan Lima (13%)
Sources used: El Peruano, Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (National Jury of Elections) and the study ‘Feminist Approaches to Gender Equity in Perú
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On other news pages: North American women mayors | South American women mayors | European women mayors | Asian women mayors | Australasia women mayors | African women Mayors |
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