This project aims to reduce and prevent violence against women in Bolivia and improve public services at the municipal level, in order for them to better respond to the needs of women. Violence against women is the main obstacle to women’s ability to exercise their rights, to gain autonomy at the economic, social and political level and to contribute to the country’s development. The project focuses on the transformation of social and cultural attitudes in order to reduce the social acceptability of violence against women and youth. It also strengthens the capacities of key stakeholders at the municipal level in budgeting techniques in order for these to integrate the needs of women and girls. The activities of the project include the development and implementation of: 1) awareness-raising campaigns on beliefs/attitudes targeting youth and teachers; 2) a training program on leadership organized for young women and strategic allies; 3) a program and tools to strengthen the competencies of civil society leaders and municipal decision-makers in gender-sensitive budgeting; 4) a digital platform on the budget and municipal services as a means for fostering greater interaction between civil society and the municipalities targeted by the project. The project is being implemented in seven municipalities of the metropolitan regions of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, which represent 40 % of Bolivia’s population, or about 4.2 million inhabitants (CENSO 2012). A total of 20,000 people, 60 % of whom are women, are directly benefitting from the project. Moreover, the project aims to strengthen the management and budgeting capacities of more than 350 municipal decision-makers, 80 % of whom are women.
The expected results for this project include: 1) the fundamental rights of women and girls, especially the right to a life without violence, are better known and acknowledged by men and women, especially youth and decision-makers in targeted municipalities; 2) gender-sensitive budgeting processes and services focused on the needs of women are improved in seven municipalities in Bolivia, especially in the prevention of gender-based violence and in the support for victims of such violence.
