Case Study: The Legislative Candidate Quota of Bolivia

Bolivia has one of the highest percentages of women in its Parliament, leading the world towards gender equality in politics. This success can be attributed to the 2010 Parity Law, which mandated an equal number of men and women be nominated in legislative elections. In examining the law’s origins, implementation, and impacts on political representation, the paper reveals the quota’s efficacy and implications for gender parity. It highlights the intervention’s limits due to structural barriers, gender norms and political violence, which continue to hinder women even after attaining descriptive representation. It also offers insightful recommendations from Bolivia’s case to be implemented by other countries striving for gender parity in their political sphere.