Political participation and gender-based violence in Latin America

Abstract

Este arti?culo reflexiona a trave?s del ana?lisis de factores socioculturales e institucionales sobre uno de los obsta?culos ma?s graves que condicionan la participacio?n poli?tica de las mujeres en Ame?rica Latina: El acoso y violencia poli?tica en razo?n de ge?nero. Esta problema?tica es una nueva expresio?n que ha adoptado la violencia de ge?nero en la arena poli?tica que restringe el ejercicio de los derechos poli?ticos de las mujeres y el derecho a vivir una vida libre de violencia.

El acoso y violencia poli?tica se manifiesta ma?s alla? de los avances normativos logrados en la regio?n orientados a generar condiciones de igualdad en te?rminos de ge?nero en la participacio?n poli?tica. En consecuencia, a las normas que promueven el acceso de las mujeres a cargos de decisio?n, tales como cuotas o paridad, deben suma?rsele cuerpos legales que garanticen, adema?s de sus derechos poli?ticos, su seguridad y sus derechos humanos. 

Abstract

This paper focuses on a reflection and analysis of socio-cultural and institutional factors that affect women’s political participation in Latin America, such as gender-based harassment and violence. This problem is a new expression that has adopted gender-based violence in the political arena, restricting not only the exercise of women’s political rights but also their right to live a life free of violence.

Despite Latin American countries have enacted laws to create conditions in terms of gender equality in political participation, political harassment and violence still occurs. However, these policy actions are not enough to ensure women’s access to decision-making positions, such as quotas or parity; it must also be legal bodies to ensure, in addition to their political rights, their personal safety, and human rights.