At stake in this Referendum:

• The referendum asked voters whether Bolivia should reclaim state control over its gas reserves, charge taxes and royalties at least 50% of the value of the gas, and use gas as a strategic resource to obtain access to the Pacific.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert *
• Head of Government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert
• Assembly: Bolivia has a bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) with 27 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 130 seats.

* On October 17, 2003 former President Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante resigned from office. In his place, Vice President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the role of the presidency.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Cancellation of the Hydrocarbons Act 1689 Do you agree that Hydrocarbons Act 1689, promulgated by Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, should be repealed?
• Nationalization of all hydrocarbons Do you agree that all hydrocarbons should once again become the property of the state?
• Nationalization of the Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos oil company Do you agree that the (state oil company) Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) should be refounded, putting the shares owned by Bolivians in the capitalized oil firms back into state hands, to allow YPFB to participate in every step of the hydrocarbons production chain?
• Use of gas as strategic resource to obtain access to the Pacific Do you agree with President Carlos Mesa's policy of using gas as a strategic resource to achieve a useful and sovereign outlet to the Pacific Ocean?
• State control over gas reserves and taxes and/or royalties for foreign oil firms Do you agree that Bolivia should export gas under a national policy that would guarantee the gas consumption needs of Bolivians; foment the industrialization of gas in national territory; charge foreign oil firms taxes and/or royalties of up to 50 percent of the value of the production of gas and oil; and mainly allocate revenues from the exportation and industrialization of gas for education, health, roads and jobs?

Electoral Requirements

• Voters were asked to vote yes or no on each of the provisions.
  A majority of votes was needed to approve each provision of the referendum.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 8,724,156 (July 2004 est.)
• Registered Voters: 4,458,293 ( 2004 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 4,471,667 (2004)

·         Is Bolivia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (30 May 1980)

·         Has Bolivia ratified CEDAW: Yes (8 June 1990)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 24 (National Congress); 4 (Chamber of Senators) (following 2002 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 119 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Bolivia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (13 August 2007)

·         Has Bolivia ratified CRPD: Yes (16 November 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,308,623 (est.)