Empowering women in local politics: the impact of Les Elegides in Bolivia
(4/6) Discover today how the Consell de Mallorca and its 52 municipalities (Spain) presents Les Elegides, a transformative programme designed to strengthen women’s roles in political decision-making, fostering gender equality in municipal governance in the Department of La Paz (Bolivia). This is one of the 6 shortlisted projects for the final phase of the PLATFORMAwards, our prize to reward the best practices in decentralised development cooperation. The jury will announce the names of the 3 finalists on 1st April in Seville (Spain). Register to the World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED) to attend the award ceremony.
(Projects are sorted by alphabetical order)
Main objectives of Les Elegides
- To contribute to increasing women’s political participation in local policy processes and decision-making structures and to improving the conditions for a democratic debate on gender issues at the local political level.
- To strengthen the space for exchange of policies and practices between elected women at the local level in the global north and south.
Main lines of action
- Empowerment and political leadership.
- Training and capacity building for the participation of women elected officials
- Consolidation of networks and exchange spaces for public policy advocacy.
Expected results
As a strategic programme of continuity, by December 2025 the programme expects to have the active participation and commitment of local elected women from at least 25 municipalities in Bolivia (100 elected women from the 9 departments of Bolivia) and 100 elected women from the 52 municipalities of Mallorca and the Consell de Mallorca, as well as the consolidation of the space of Les Elegides as a community of exchange and cooperation and a laboratory of ideas where elected women from municipalities at a global level find a safe space to work on leadership and promote targeted actions and to learn from new references. We are working on a peer-to-peer exchange event that will involve women from 8 different countries and on the creation of a digital platform for the creation and exchange of content with the municipalities of Bolivia.
Finally, 3 networks of women’s political rights promoters are expected to be created.
Achievements
- Five models of municipal regulations have been drawn up to encourage productive development with a gender perspective. The models include job training programmes for women, the elimination of gender discrimination in employment, the reconciliation of family responsibilities, the professional promotion of women, the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship and better access for women to financing for their businesses.
- 24 autonomous municipal governments have developed gender-sensitive municipal economic development regulations and policies aimed at promoting women’s economic empowerment. The selected municipalities were Uyuni, Tupiza, Puna, Las Carreras, Monteagudo, Alcala, San Lorenzo, Padcaya, Sabaya, Corque, Poopo, Villa Nueva, Puerto Gonzalo Moreno, Loreto, San José de Chiquitos, Camiri, Carmen Rivero Torrez, Tacopaya, Tiquipaya, Mizque, Inquisivi, Puerto Mayor Carabuco, Caquiaviri, Malla.
- 24 entrepreneurial women’s associations provided with seed capital to strengthen their productive activity.
- 10 local elected women from Mallorca of different political colours have formed a driving group and travelled to Bolivia in May 2024 for an exchange with Bolivian local elected women on sustainable municipalities.
- 56 elected women from Mallorca have signed a declaration of commitment to promote and work for the participation of elected women in the framework of cooperation.
- Online training on SDG 5 indicators, barriers to women’s political participation and the gender perspective in municipal projects, which brought together more than 30 elected women from municipalities in Bolivia and Mallorca.
This project contributes to SDG 5, 10 and 16
With regard to SDG 5 and in particular target 5.5, the programme contributes to indicator 5.5.1b, as this indicator recognises the key role played by local women leaders in sustainable development. Studies have shown that around the world the presence of women leaders at the local level redefines local priorities by being more inclusive and emphasising gender-sensitive local policies and measures.
Across the board, the programme contributes to SDG 10 « Reducing inequalities », as women’s participation in decision-making spaces ensures that the needs and concerns of all citizens are heard and addressed and contributes to more inclusive policies.
On SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, as women’s effective participation in spaces of power strengthens the democratic quality of institutions and more inclusive governance and transparency.
