Our response in Bolivia

Bolivia is the poorest country in Latin America and the number of child workers in Bolivia has increased since the 1980s. It is now estimated that approximately 800,000 children and adolescents work. The “worst forms” of child labour include children working in mines, in the sugar cane industry, and sexual exploitation.

Many children and adolescents, however, work in a range of less hazardous jobs including selling fruits and vegetables, transporting goods on wheelbarrows, washing windows and shining shoes. The Eye to Eye participants are involved in this kind of work.

In Bolivia, Save the Children Spain works in seven cities, including Santa Cruz and Llallagua, to prevent the worst forms of child labour and to strengthen the capacity of child workers to organise and to exercise and defend their rights (to education, health, employment and identity) and to raise awareness about child workers.

Santa Cruz

The department of Santa Cruz is the most extensive in the country, covering almost 34 per cent of national territory. It is situated in the eastern part of the country, in the most industrialized region. It has the highest income per capita in the country, being also the most important place for natural gas production.

In Santa Cruz Save the Children works with the Child and Adolescent Worker Movement of Santa Cruz. This organization has for three years been supporting approximately 610 working children and adolescents of different working areas, such as shoe shiners, cemetery workers (e.g. arranging flowers) and market workers.

It has achieved the incorporation of many child and adolescent workers and a greater understanding of their rights through workshops and discussions, as well as promoting children and adolescents’ participation.

Llallagua

Llallagua has a population of 20 thousand people, approximately 70 per cent of them living below the poverty line. The majority of its population work in agriculture, but approximately 40 per cent work in mining. Indeed, Llallagua has the largest mining camp in Bolivia, called Siglo XX. Its history is based around the extraction of minerals, particularly tin. The climate is very dry and cold, reaching ten degrees centigrade below zero in the winter.

In Llallagua, Save the Children Spain works with the local Child and Adolescent Workers Movement, MOLDNATS, composed of approximately 260 children and adolescents from different working sectors, such as shoe shiners, cemetery workers, miners, market workers and cooks.

They work towards the promotion and protection of the child and adolescent workers’ rights, and they do this through building better relationships and communication with parents, assuming responsibility inside their school and family and exercising their rights to participation in different events as well as in their homes, work and school.