Claudia: From Household Battles to the Dream of Becoming a Lawyer Until We Are All Equal
“It all started when I wanted to be school president (…) I faced many challenges because a girl wasn’t allowed to be president, but a boy was,” Claudia recalls.
At one point during her childhood, even she believed that women were not “fit” for certain roles and responsibilities.
However, her own experiences proved otherwise. “I’ve seen that women can do even more,” says the 21-year-old with conviction.
In Bolivia, machismo and the lack of women’s representation in decision-making spaces are deeply ingrained issues.
Currently, according to the 2021 subnational election results, the country has only 24 female mayors across 339 municipalities—just two in major cities (El Alto and Cobija). None of the nine departments have a female governor.
One of Claudia’s aspirations is to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in her municipality, Betanzos, located just over an hour from the city of Potosí.
“It became my dream from a young age, but it’s never happened (to have a female mayor),” Claudia laments.
Traditionally, women in her municipality have been confined to “lesser” roles, such as council members, always in the minority and facing significant obstacles.
“Out of five council members, only two are women. That’s it (…) always the minority,”
Claudia points out.
She dreams of seeing a woman—whether an activist friend, a community leader, or a mother—serve as mayor of her municipality.
But achieving this dream requires not only greater participation by women but also societal and cultural changes that promote structural equality.
In 2023, Bolivia recorded 151 cases of political violence and harassment against women, according to the Association of Bolivian Councilwomen and Mayors.
Between 2019 and 2023, 40 such cases were reported in Potosí alone.
For Claudia, it’s essential to strengthen women’s leadership and ensure they are chosen for their merits.
“Now we have women ministers, women deputies (…) but there’s still more to do,” she insists. Claudia firmly believes in the importance of sisterhood and mutual support among women to achieve these goals.
Fighting Machismo at Home
According to Claudia, many machista attitudes and beliefs persist in her municipality: “Men are supposed to work, and women are meant to stay home.”
In this challenging context, Claudia defies societal gender norms, takes on leadership roles, and sparks “revolutions” within her own family.
“My mom had this deeply ingrained belief that men work, and women cook. Those ideas have changed,”
Claudia proudly shares.
Claudia’s feminist activism inspired her family to question gender stereotypes.
In Bolivia, the unequal distribution of caregiving tasks is stark. According to Oxfam (2018), women spend nearly seven hours a day on caregiving—almost double the time men dedicate.
Additionally, seven out of ten women reports shouldering the majority of household responsibilities, compared to just one in ten who say their partner takes on more.
Thanks to Claudia’s influence, her mother now promotes equality within the home, shares domestic duties with her father, and encourages her brothers to contribute to household tasks.
Claudia emphasizes that these changes came about through her family’s participation in workshops to combat machista attitudes.
“In my house, everything is equal. My dad can cook, and my mom can work, and that motivates me even more in my activism,”
she says with pride.
Looking to the Future
“My dream came true,” Claudia says, reflecting on her experiences giving talks and discussions to other girls and adolescents—just like those that inspired profound changes in her own family.
Recently, through Plan International Bolivia, she had the opportunity to co-facilitate workshops and deliver talks in her municipality.
“What I value and admire most about Plan International is their ability to empower children from a young age,” she says. Thanks to the programs and workshops offered by Plan International, Claudia has seen many people become outstanding activists.
In her own community, she has observed significant changes among the girls participating in Plan International Bolivia’s programs. “In my community, there are girls who, at a young age, are unafraid to speak up and travel far from home without fear,” she shares.
She is a testament to this herself. Claudia now studies outside her municipality and participates in various organizations addressing issues such as decolonization and sexual and reproductive rights.
Claudia and Her Future as a Lawyer Fighting for Women
Claudia left her hometown and family to pursue a new goal: becoming a feminist lawyer. Her mission is to combat gender-based violence and impunity, seeking justice for victims.
According to the 2019 State of Justice in Bolivia report, only three out of ten femicide cases result in sentencing, revealing severe deficiencies in victims’ access to justice.
Claudia is well aware of this issue and is determined to tackle it “from within.”
Strengthening Feminist Leadership
Betanzos, Claudia’s hometown, is one of three municipalities where Plan International Bolivia implements the Strengthening Feminist Leadership project (Folife), particularly among young women.
In Betanzos, a quarter of the population is aged 14 to 24, meaning changes within this group can have significant ripple effects throughout the community.
Folife is a comprehensive empowerment initiative developed in three municipalities in Bolivia’s Andean regions.
The project has strengthened the leadership of 1,686 young people aged 15 to 24. Its benefits have reached over 14,000 individuals in Betanzos, Jesús de Machaca, and Calamarca (the latter two in La Paz department).
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