Bolivia
EU Member States Parliaments
Activities
- Strengthening legislative committees (Chamber of Deputies) - (March - July 2022): Three virtual peer-to-peer exchanges were held in March and July 2022 between the staff and Deputies of the Planning, Economic Policy and Finance Committee of the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies and the Head of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) of the Hellenic Parliament and, in the third exchange, parliamentarians of the Special Standing Committee on the Financial Statement and the General Balance Sheet and the implementation of the State Budget. The exchanges focused on supporting the drafting of a proposal for the establishment of a PBO in the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies. During the third exchange, the draft proposal was shared with representatives of the Hellenic Parliament for feedback.
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Strengthening legislative committees (Chamber of Senators) - (July - October 2022): A virtual exchange between staff of the Plural Justice, Public Prosecutors Office and State Defence Committee of the Chamber of Senators was held in July 2022 with experts from the Spanish Judicial System, European Court of Human Rights and Icelandic academia. The exchange focused on European best practices in the training, selection and nomination of judges and magistrates, and shared experiences to be drawn upon by the Chamber of Senators in the preparation of the rules for the vetting of candidates for seats on high tribunals to be carried out in 2023.
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Strengthening institutional work on gender issues (Chamber of Senators) - (October 2022): The study visit in October 2022 also shared experiences of legislative and policy mechanisms adopted in Spain to combat Gender-Based Violence and included meetings with the presidents and Senators members of the equality and anti-Gender Based Violence committees of the Spanish Senate, leading authorities of the judicial system that focus on the topic and the government ministerial delegate responsible for implementing state policies on Gender-Based Violence.
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A follow-up study visit was organised for the Senators and members of the Committee to Madrid and Barcelona in October 2022 to exchange on the role of parliament in the vetting of candidates for seats on high courts.
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Outcomes:
- As a result of INTER PARES support, staff and MP knowledge of the role and importance of Parliamentary Budget Offices was enhanced and a proposal for a PBO in the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies was developed.
- As a result of the virtual exchange with experts and of the study visit, draft rules for the vetting of candidates for seats on top courts to be carried out in 2023 were prepared by the Chamber of Senators drawing on best practices in EUMSPs.
- Staff and MP knowledge of legislative and policy mechanisms to safeguard judicial independence and quality was enhanced.
- Staff and MP willingness to adopt legislative and policy mechanisms to eradicate Gender-Based Violence was enhanced, with 100% of participants willing to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as human rights.
