La Paz, April 23 (EFE).- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) described the situation of gender violence in Bolivia as “alarming” in its Annual Report corresponding to 2025, in which, at the same time, it also highlighted the approval of the law to prohibit marriages and unions of minors under 18 years of age.
In the analysis on Bolivia included in the chapter on ‘Development of human rights in the region’, the organization maintained that “the situation of gender violence continues to be alarming” in this country and mentioned some data from the Prosecutor’s Office, such as the 62 femicides and 127 attempted femicides reported between January and September.
“In addition, according to publicly available information, in the framework of the general elections some candidates would have faced expressions of violence, threats and harassment both in physical spaces and on digital platforms,” the IACHR noted.
He also recalled that last year “cases of physical aggression against journalists, including sexual violence, were reported.”
In 2025, the country reported a total of 81 femicides and so far this year the Prosecutor’s Office has recorded 28 cases.
In Bolivia, the Law to Guarantee Women a Life Free of Violence, or law 348, has been in force since 2013, which punishes feminicide with 30 years in prison without the right to pardon, the maximum penalty provided in Bolivian legislation.
On the other hand, the IACHR report highlighted some “advances” achieved by Bolivia, such as the adoption of “laws aimed at protecting against forced unions of girls, boys and adolescents, in line with recommendations” of the organization.
Specifically, in September a law was enacted that prohibits marriages and free unions between minors under 18 years of age or with adults, to protect children and adolescents from this practice that exposes this population to violations such as sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancies and trafficking.
The IACHR also highlighted “the inter-institutional and social efforts that allowed the successful conclusion of the general elections” held last August “in a context marked by political polarization.”
“Likewise, the first steps were taken towards urgent judicial reform and strengthening access to justice, including the installation of the First Interinstitutional Dialogue for Judicial Reform,” the report indicated.
The commission mentioned that “there were also challenges related to the lack of judicial independence, the situation of people deprived of liberty” and “the risks faced by human rights defenders.”
“In particular, episodes of social conflict and prison violence, excessive use of preventive detention and overcrowding conditions in the country’s prisons were repeated,” he added. EFE
