The Plight Of Bolivia's Children: A Sad Reality

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America, with a population of around 11 million people. It is a diverse country with 37 official languages and two capital cities, La Paz and Sucre. Bolivia is also a country with a complex history and a variety of landscapes, from the high desert to the Amazon.

Despite its beauty and cultural richness, Bolivia faces significant challenges when it comes to protecting the rights of children. Issues such as child labour, violence, child poverty, and child trafficking remain prevalent in the country. While the Bolivian government has made efforts to address these problems, there is still much to be done to ensure the safety and well-being of Bolivian children.

Child labour

Bolivia has ratified the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as its Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography. However, the status of children's rights in Bolivia remains a concern, with child labour, violence, and child poverty being significant issues.

To protect children from labour exploitation, it is recommended that Bolivia:

• Raise the minimum age for work to 17 to align with the compulsory education age.
• Prohibit children under 14 from participating in apprenticeships.
• Establish and implement a national action plan to address child labour, including its worst forms.
• Increase funding for social programs to support child labour victims and provide shelters for male victims of human trafficking.
• Improve access to education in rural and indigenous areas, and facilitate the enrolment of migrant children in schools.

While travelling in Bolivia with children may not be as appealing as some other destinations, it can still be a rewarding experience. Families can enjoy boat tours on Lake Titicaca or Amazon tributaries, explore the jungle and pampas, and interact with the abundant wildlife. It is important to choose itineraries and activities wisely, adjust to the altitude, and break up long journeys to make the trip more enjoyable for children.

Child trafficking

In 2023, Bolivia and Argentina signed an agreement as part of the Regional Platform Against Human Trafficking and Smuggling, which included 35 coordinated actions to combat human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and related crimes. Additionally, the Bolivian government released a mobile application, Alerta Juliana, to help locate missing children and refer them to authorities and protection services. Despite these efforts, there are still critical gaps in addressing child trafficking.

Bolivia's laws on child trafficking do not fully meet international standards as they require the use of threats, force, or coercion to be proven for a child trafficking crime to be established. Furthermore, the minimum age for participation in apprenticeships is not specified in Bolivian law, and there is a lack of publicly available information on labour and criminal law enforcement efforts.

Indigenous communities, Venezuelan migrant children, and children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to child labour exploitation and human trafficking. Children in rural gold mining areas are trapped in commercial sexual trafficking, and children in rural indigenous communities in the north of La Paz Department and around Rurrenabaque are vulnerable to child sex trafficking in the tourism sector.

To effectively combat child trafficking in Bolivia, it is essential to strengthen law enforcement, improve coordination and public reporting of activities, establish a national action plan, and address the root causes of the problem, such as poverty and lack of access to education.

Child marriage

In socially conservative areas of Bolivia, girls are married off to adults with family consent. In 2015, a 13-year-old girl who was raped, impregnated, and then forced to marry her rapist by her community, was aided by the intervention of the ombudsman.

While the Children and Teenager Code establishes 16 as the minimum age to marry with parental authorization, it has been criticized for allowing older men to marry teenagers, which often involves statutory rape and sexual violence.

The prevalence of child marriage in Bolivia can be attributed to two main factors: extreme poverty and indigenous community traditions. Families may encourage their children to marry as a means of reducing food expenses, and some indigenous communities consider 13 to be the ideal age for girls to marry.

To address this issue, the Bolivian government enacted the Family Code and the Family Procedure Code in 2014, stipulating that individuals can only enter into marriage at 18. However, exceptions are made for 16 and 17-year-olds with parental or guardian consent or state consent if they are wards of the state. Despite this legislation, child marriage remains a challenge due to social and economic inequalities.

Child poverty

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America, with 2.5 million children living in poverty. The country faces income disparities, with rural areas suffering higher rates of child poverty due to fewer opportunities for economic growth. This has resulted in 800,000 Bolivian children being left vulnerable, neglected, or homeless each year.

Indigenous Bolivian children are particularly vulnerable, facing high levels of marginalisation due to lack of access to healthcare and education. Schools in Indigenous communities often lack libraries and school materials, and Indigenous children also face violence, food insecurity, and inadequate sanitation.

Despite these challenges, significant work is being done to address child poverty in Bolivia. Organisations such as Save the Children, A Breeze of Hope, and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working to improve access to education, reduce malnutrition, and provide direct assistance to the Bolivian government. Additionally, Canadian Feed the Children provides nutritious meals and snacks to Bolivian children and educates parents on healthy child development and children's rights.

Child health

Bolivia has ratified the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees children the rights inherent to human beings and aims to protect them as vulnerable members of society. However, the status of children's rights in Bolivia remains insufficiently protected, with child labour, violence, and child poverty being significant challenges.

Right to Education

Access to education in Bolivia is marked by disparities, especially between urban and rural areas. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these inequalities as schools were closed for 82 weeks, the second-longest in the world. This disrupted children's education, especially in rural areas with limited access to technology and the internet.

Right to Health

The Bolivian Constitution recognises the right to health, guaranteeing access to healthcare without discrimination. However, the health system is marked by a lack of resources and infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the flaws in the system, with hospitals quickly reaching capacity.

Child Malnutrition

Child malnutrition is a pressing issue in Bolivia, with one in three children suffering from it. This leads to growth deficiencies, developmental delays, and obesity, particularly affecting children in rural areas and from indigenous communities.

Child Labour

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America, and child labour is a persistent problem. In 2014, a law was passed allowing children aged 10-12 to work, but this was revoked in 2018. Despite this, nearly one in four young people work to support their families, contributing to the national economy.

Child Marriage and Sexual Exploitation

Child marriage is prevalent in Bolivia, with nearly 20% of girls married before 18 and 5% of boys. Early marriage is often a means to escape extreme poverty. Additionally, child prostitution and sexual exploitation are significant issues, with young girls and adolescents being trafficked and forced into the sex trade.

Violence Against Children

Violence against children, including infanticide, is a major concern in Bolivia, with a deeply entrenched culture of using violence as a means of discipline. Despite laws prohibiting such acts, the mechanisms in place to combat this issue are inadequate, and the judicial system struggles to address it effectively.

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