Challenges of Gender Parity in Baja California Sur's Political Arena

Current State of Gender Equality in Politics

Baja California Sur has established rules for gender parity in its political framework, yet substantive equality remains elusive in practice. This was emphasized by Sara Flores de la Peña, the president of the Electoral Tribunal of Baja California Sur (TEEBCS), during an interview with the television program “Voto y Veto” on Tv Mar.

"We have made significant progress at the national and state levels because our laws recognize equality. However, when it comes to practice, we still have areas of opportunity... For example, the issue of gender quotas should not exist; it should be normalized that there is equality, that it is equitable..."

Flores de la Peña pointed out that while the Constitution and Mexican laws have advanced in recognizing equality, the real conditions for women to compete and hold public office still present significant challenges. The upcoming elections in 2027 will serve as a crucial test to demonstrate whether numerical parity can be matched by campaigns and positions free from violence and differentiated obstacles.

Historical Context and Ongoing Challenges

Historically, women's political participation in Baja California Sur and Mexico has been low. Many of the advancements made in this area have come through judicial rulings that mandated the guarantee of spaces and corrected exclusions.

"Much of the progress has been achieved 'by blows of sentence,' through resolutions that have forced the guarantee of spaces and corrected exclusions. However, ideally, this should not be necessary."

The magistrate lamented that while there has been progress, the journey toward achieving substantive equality is still ongoing. Studies indicate that it may take many years to fully realize this goal. The challenge for the upcoming elections will not only be to ensure that women are represented but also that they can do so without facing violence or intimidation.

The Impact of Political Violence on Women

As the political landscape evolves, the issue of political violence against women is becoming increasingly pressing. Flores de la Peña warned that this violence is likely to escalate as women's participation in electoral contests increases.

"The issue of political violence against women for gender reasons is also recurrent, and it is very important to call on citizens and political actors to conduct themselves according to the rules governing electoral matters and to avoid expressions or acts that could affect the performance of a candidate or a candidacy."

The 2027 elections will not only involve the renewal of the governorship of Baja California Sur but also the five municipalities and the local Congress. This will put to the test both the numerical compliance of gender parity and the real conditions of competition. Political parties will need to adhere to nomination rules and ensure that female candidates can campaign and hold office free from violence.

The complete interview can be viewed multiple times on our YouTube channel, Tribuna de México Oficial.