Our work in Bolivia

Some sociopolitical stability has returned in Bolivia since Luis Arce of the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party was elected president in late 2020.

Improving indicators have allowed the Bolivian economy to approach regional averages. In 2021, gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.1 per cent because of rising domestic and external demand and strong raw material (mineral) prices.

The bulk of the growth occurred in the mining, construction, transport and communications sectors. However, agriculture and livestock production, grew by just 1.8 per cent, which was even less than the already low 3.1 per cent growth in 2020. This has had a huge impact on the living conditions of Indigenous peasant families and rural communities. The urban unemployment rate fell from 8.3 percent in 2020 to 5.2 per cent in 2021. The prevalence precarious employment decreased year on year but remains high compared to past years, with women being most affected.

The Bolivian government declared 2022 as the Year of the Cultural Revolution for Depatriarchalisation for a Life Free of Violence against Women. This vision is significant for the advancement of women’s rights and has been integrated by several of our partners into their training activities.

However, the rival presidential aspirations of Arce, Evo Morales and David Choquehuanca are fomenting a new political crisis. Arce’s government used to work in close coordination with the MAS party, but recently, its president, Morales, seems to have declared an open political war, with the direction of the party ahead of the 2025 elections being the bone of contention.