The Use and Abuse of International Human Rights Norms: Tensions between Ethnicity and Gender in the Andes.

The emergence and consolidation of indigenous movements was a major force of democratization in Latin America during the last twenty years. In the Andes, in particular, ethno-politics have guaranteed a more inclusive democratic system from Bolivia to Ecuador. Yet, if indigenous movements were undeniably a democratising force, they were not necessarily democratic themselves. The promotion of ethnic participation seems to be leaving many actors behind, notably women.This paper explores the tensions between ethnicity and gender in the process of democratisation in the cases of Ecuador and Bolivia. While recognizing the achievements of ethnic politics, I argue that indigenous movements demands that the state be accountable to universal human rights norms that they are not ready to assume themselves under the justification of cultural rights. International norms are therefore instrumentalized for political purposes but face profound implementation obstacles on the ground. By exploring the tension between gender and ethnicity, I do not imply that ethnicity and gender are incompatible. Rather, I suggest that gender equity remains a fundamental obstacle to democracy in the region and will not naturally flow out of the achievements of indigenous or class-based politics. This paper is an attempt to better understand the state of democratization in the Andes, analysing how international norms are instrumentalized for leverage in domestic politics. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]