Julieta Montaño facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julieta Montaño
in 2015
Born	Rosa Julieta Montaño Salvatierra 16 August 1946 Quillacollo, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Occupation	attorney, human rights activist
Years active	1981–present
Known for	Oficina Jurídica para la Mujer

Rosa Julieta Montaño Salvatierra (born in 1946) is a lawyer and activist from Bolivia. She is known for defending human rights, especially for women. In 2015, she received the International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. State Department. This award honors women around the world who show great courage and leadership in fighting for human rights.

Early Life and Education

Julieta Montaño was born on August 16, 1946, in Quillacollo, a town in the Cochabamba area of Bolivia. She finished her early schooling and then went to the Universidad Mayor de San Simón. There, she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Humanities in 1965.

She continued her studies at the same university, earning a Law Degree in 1972. Later, she earned two Master's Degrees. One was in human rights and the other in political science. She studied at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón and the University of Huelva in Spain. She also worked on a higher degree in human rights in Seville, Spain.

Her Work for Bolivia

Julieta Montaño has held important positions in Bolivia. She served as the Vice President of the Human Rights Assembly of Bolivia. This group works to protect people's basic rights. She was also the Comptroller of Cochabamba, which means she helped manage the city's money.

From 1997 to 2002, she was a member of the Chamber of Deputies. This is like being a representative in the country's parliament. She represented the Cochabamba region.

Standing Up for Rights

In 1981, Bolivia was going through a difficult time with a non-democratic government. During this period, Julieta Montaño was leading a group called the Union de Mujeres de Bolivia (Union of Bolivian Women). Because of her work, she was placed under house arrest. This meant she could not leave her home freely.

However, when the non-democratic government ended on August 4, 1981, Montaño quickly returned to her work as a lawyer. She continued to fight for justice and human rights.

Founding the Legal Office for Women

On April 11, 1985, Julieta Montaño started a very important organization called the Oficina Jurídica para la Mujer (OJM). This name means "Legal Office for Women." Her goal was to promote women's rights and help protect them from harm.

The OJM works to stop violence and unfair treatment against women. They do this in several ways:

• Education: They teach people about women's rights.
• Public Policy: They help create new laws to protect women.
• Support: They offer social, psychological, and legal help to women who need it.

Since it began, the OJM has helped over 30,000 women with legal advice. They have worked on cases involving serious issues like violence at home. The organization has also worked closely with the Bolivian government. They helped write laws to protect women. For example, in 2013, Bolivia passed a law that gives a very long prison sentence for crimes against women. This shows how much impact Julieta Montaño and the OJM have had.

The U.S. State Department has said that Julieta Montaño has "influenced nearly every piece of legislation that advanced women’s rights over the past 30 years" in Bolivia. This means she has played a huge role in making Bolivia a safer and fairer place for women.

Important Groups She Works With

Julieta Montaño has been part of many important groups that work for human rights:

• 1994–1999: She was a representative for the Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM). This group defends women's rights across Latin America and the Caribbean.
• 2002–present: She serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL). This organization works to protect human rights in the Americas.
• 2004–present: She is part of the Consultative Honorary Council for CLADEM and continues to be their legal advisor.
• 2007: The General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) chose her to be one of seven members of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR). This commission works to promote and protect human rights in the Americas.

See also

In Spanish: Julieta Montaño para niños