Abstract

BARRERA-BASSOLS, Dalia. Indigenous women in the representation system for elective posts: The case of Oaxaca. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2006, vol.3, n.1, pp.19-37. ISSN 1870-5472.

In this paper the indigenous women access to posts in the municipal councils of the state municipalities of Oaxaca is discussed. The state has 23% of the 2440 municipalities of the country. The possibility of nominating municipal authorities by two ways is examined: the nomination in the assembly by the indigenous uses and customs system and by voting in a local election, as a result of competition between political parties. Given the lack of studies on the female access specifically to the regidoras post, and the difficulties to get detailed information about this matter, results of the analysis of official information are presented; information obtained from the National System of Municipality Information of the National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development. It is confirmed that women, in Oaxaca, are getting the posts of municipal presidents, sindicos and regidoras by both ways, though subjected, in the indigenous and non-indigenous ambits, to diverse obstacles and challenges associated to indigenous uses and customs, and to the macho political culture in the non-indigenous context.

Keywords : Municipal authorities; municipal council; local elections; regidoras; uses and customs.