Bolivia: A voice for the poor

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

CAFOD welcomes Bolivia's new constitution which gives a greater voice to the country's indigenous majority - but warns there is a lot of work ahead to uphold its new principles

CAFOD partners in Bolivia have worked hard over the last four years to make sure the new constitution reflects the needs of the poorest and most excluded Bolivians, especially indigenous people and small farmers, and ensures these people have a say in the policies that affect them.

Marcelo Ortega, co-ordinator of the Land Rights Program of the Social Action Arm of the Bolivian Bishops’ Conference, says he feels "immense satisfaction" with this outcome.

This is not the constitution of a few intellectuals or politicians, but really comes from all Bolivians, even the poorest and most excluded communities

Marcelo Ortega, Land Rights Program

A constitution for all

He says: "This is not the constitution of a few intellectuals or politicians, but really comes from all Bolivians, even the poorest and most excluded communities.

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

"It’s exactly those people that we should serve as Church if we really follow Catholic Social Teaching, the Option for the Poor and the Latin American Bishops’ Declaration in Aparecida.

"And especially when the Bolivian Bishops said in their Pastoral Letter on Land, 'Brothers and sisters in rural areas, know that we stand by you', we knew that we had to support the indigenous and small farmer communities of Bolivia."

CAFOD supported the work of Manuel's organisation, and Karen Luyckx, our representative in Bolivia, says: "For more than 500 years, indigenous people, which make up more than 60% of the population, were third class citizens.

"Now, for the first time, these communities have the legal back-up in their struggle for a right to participate in and benefit from Bolivia’s political and economic life.

"A lot of work lies ahead to ensure that the principles of equality, justice and solidarity enshrined in the new constitution are implemented so that they make a difference on the ground.

"CAFOD aims to continue supporting our partners in giving the poorest Bolivian men and women the skills and the self-confidence to stand up for their rights and improve their own lives."

Media: For further information from our CAFOD Bolivia office or our CAFOD partners please contact Pascale Palmer ppalmer@cafod.org.uk +44 20 7095 5459 +44 7785 950 585

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Published on 26/01/2009, last updated on 10/02/2009

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