ONU Mujeres is using Bolivia’s biggest celebration to raise awareness of violence against women

Bolivia’s national carnival is the country's biggest event, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world. This year ONU Mujeres Bolivia is campaigning HeForShe to depatriarchalize their parties and end violence against women.

The carnival is now underway in the city of Oruro, located in the Andean highlands. It is the country’s biggest event of the year and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.

The United Nations, the Bolivian government, and the National Confederation of Religious Folk Associations of Bolivia are among the groups working on the campaign. They are using the slogans "without masks, without violence” and “depatriarchalizing our parties" to raise awareness of the problem of femicide and violence against women.

The initiative includes training for the dancers and musicians participating in the carnival parades, as well as audiovisual and printed resources for people attending the events.

It is part of UN Women’s global “HeForShe” campaign and is the first time the government is collaborating with the carnival organizers on a campaign to prevent violence.

"Since Pachamama (Mother Earth) takes care of us all, let us all take care of the life of the Bolivian woman," Minister of Cultures Sabina Orellana said. "Whether in the countryside or the city, it doesn't matter; she is a Bolivian woman."