Asunción, November 11 (teleSUR-RHC)-- “More women, better democracy,” is the slogan women’s organizations have chosen to promote their campaign for better representation of women in local government.

“We have historically been excluded from decisions,” said Marcella Zub, who coordinated the campaign, which is supported by the country's Ministry of Women and United Nations Women, the international body’s organization for promoting gender equality.

Zub decried the fact that of the 767 candidates running for administrative positions in Paraguay, just over 10 percent are women, according to electoral authorities.

In Paraguay, as in many nations, it is more difficult for women to become candidates as they find it harder to attract the sponsors and political contacts required to succeed.

So far, only seven countries in Latin America have passed bills guaranteeing gender equality in public office.

The women’s campaign has managed to reach out to several candidates and have them commit themselves, if elected, to including more women in public positions and to implement policies that promote gender equality. Such policies would, for instance, include opening municipal day care centers, guaranteeing safe public spaces for women and providing better care for victims of gender-based violence.