Bolivia

Rosa Gutierrez of the Holy Trinity community, part of the Monteverde indigenous territory. Credit: Evan Abramson / Oxfam America

Bolivia is rich in cultural diversity and natural resources, 36 indigenous groups make up two thirds of Bolivia’s population of 10 million. Despite significant progress in the last few years in both, the reduction of extreme poverty and the building of a new Pluri-national State, more work is still needed. The structural disparities and social, economic, and climate vulnerability, that affect most of the population, must be addressed. Together, each of these aspects are the guiding principles for the Oxfam programmatic work in Bolivia.

Oxfam in Bolivia

Oxfam has been working in Bolivia since 1988, through different local partners, including civil society organizations, associations, networks and different levels of the Bolivian Government, based on complementarity and mutual respect.

Our work in Bolivia focuses on reducing vulnerability through the sustainable exploitation of natural resources, political activism and increased productivity. We advocate for the creation of a more just society through our research and mobilisation of civil society and we carry out long-term development projects that aim to reduce risk and increase resilience.

Priority social and geographical sectors

  • We strengthen the influencing capacities of indigenous populations, agricultural workers, and youth to promote public, redistributive, efficient, and transparent policies.
  • We work with women and mixed-sex youth groups aiming to reduce violence, to empower them and promote better economic opportunities.
  • We support land management, access to natural resources, risk reduction and adaptation of indigenous and rural communities.
  • In Lowlands we provide support so that indigenous populations, communities, and farmers can overcome their vulnerability, exclusion, and the discrimination they face.
  • We work with women, youth, and on indigenous population participation, adaptation, land management, and risk reduction in the main cities of Bolivia (La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz) as well as with the cities with rapid population growth located in the Amazons (Trinidad and Riberalta).