Bolivia

Dario and Ishmael reading aloud in class, Kestuche village, Bolivia [Annie Bungeroth]

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America and the most unequal in Latin America, with 15% of the population still not having regular access to water

More than half of Bolivia’s poor now live in urban areas, particularly in La Paz or Santa Cruz. But poverty is highest in rural areas, with 82% of the rural population living below the national poverty line.

Employment is low and one-quarter of the population have either migrated or emigrated. However the country has enormous natural wealth, with valuable resources such as oil, gas, zinc and tin.

CAFOD spent £345,000 in Bolivia in 2008/09

A new constitution aims to give a greater voice to the country's indigenous majority - and our partners have worked hard to ensure this new constitution reflects the poorest and most excluded Bolivians, and that these people have a say in the policies that affect them.


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Bolivian President Evo Morales addresses a huge rally for indigenous people in Cochabamba, Bolivia, October 2009 [CAFOD/Pilar Olivares]

Bolivia: Summit defends rights of Mother Earth

Latin American and Caribbean countries join forces to call for climate justice and the defence of the rights of the Earth ahead of climate change talks in Copenhagen

CAFOD angels calling for a strong climate change deal

Climate justice: What next after Copenhagen?

After days of false starts and leaked texts, weeks of tense and often bewildering negotiations and decades of work, the Copenhagen talks ended with a last-minute text from outside the formal negotiating process. What was the Climate Justice campaign calling for, what did we get and what really happened?

Bolivia: A voice for the poor

"Bolivia’s previous governments were like a bad father - they never took into account the poor and indigenous people that really worked the land"

Annual review cover 2009

Video: Road to Copenhagen

A series of films about the historic climate change talks at Copenhagen - and what happens next

Campaigners getting ready for The Wave on December 5

Why I'm coming to The Wave

Campaigners, commentators, our staff and church leaders explain why they are taking part in this amazing day - and why they hope you will too. Plus, be part of our day online by tweeting and uploading photos to Flickr

Published on 05/12/2005, last updated on 26/10/2009
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Floods in Bolivia Blogs from Bolivia

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