Human Trafficking in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]
Street Children in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]
Child Prostitution in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Republic of Bolivia                                                                  [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Republic of Bolivia [map] is an inland country of South America, bordered by Chile and Peru (W), Brazil (E & N), Paraguay (SE), and Argentina (S).  Sucre is its constitutional capital and seat of the judiciary, but La Paz is the largest city and administrative capital.  GDP growth in 2003 and 2004 - helped by increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia remains dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and foreign governments.

 

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Bolivia.  Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false.   No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

National Plan of Action

UNICEF - At A Glance:  Real Lives

On average, Maria sees about 20 cases a day with problems ranging from child abuse, paternal or maternal neglect, family assistance claims and numerous cases of exploitation and child prostitution.

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Some children are known to work as indentured domestic laborers and prostitutes. Children are reportedly trafficked internally to urban or border areas for commercial sexual exploitation. It is also reported that children and adolescents are trafficked internally within Bolivia and to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Spain for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation.  Women and adolescents from the indigenous areas of the high plains are at the greatest risk of being trafficked.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

CHILDREN - Child prostitution was a problem, particularly in urban areas and in the Chapare region. There were reports of children trafficked for forced labor to neighboring countries.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2005

[63] The Committee is concerned about the extent of sexual exploitation and trafficking of children for this or other purposes, in particular economic exploitation, in the State party and about the lack of effective programs to address this problem.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

[42] The Committee urges the State party to address the problems and shortcomings facing children and affecting their welfare, beginning with the varied types of child exploitation such as the trafficking of children, their sexual exploitation and domestic maltreatment.

The Protection Project - Bolivia [DOC]

FORMS OF TRAFFICKING - Women and children are trafficked from Bolivia for the purposes of forced prostitution and forced labor. Trafficking is believed to exist for the purpose of organ sales and illegal adoption as well.

In July 2000, Bolivian nationals trafficked 24 Bolivian girls to Argentina for the purpose of prostitution. The recruiter (the mother of the brothel owner) recruited children from outdoor markets in the rural areas of Bolivia. She told them and their parents that the girls could work as criaditas, or little maids, in Argentina. The parents authorized the children to leave under the pretense that they were going on vacation, so that they could get tourist visas. Tickets and visas were purchased through a travel agency. The recruiter; the brothel owner’s husband, who had transported the children; the owner of the travel agency; and the brothel owner were charged with forcing minors into prostitution.

ECPAT: Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC]

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – BOLIVIA – Attempts to coordinate efforts to address CSEC in Bolivia were initiated with the establishment of the Committee for the Fight against Sexual Violence against Children and Adolescents (Comité de Lucha contra la Violencia Sexual en Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes) in December 2000. The Committee known as “COLCOVIS” includes government departments, international organizations and NGOs. The Congregation of the Sisters of the Adoration (Congregación de las Hermanas Adoratrices) is carrying out work in the areas of prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration. The Sisters run three homes in the cities of Sucre, Santa Cruz and La Paz. They are also running training workshops in the Ciudad del Alto, Zona Rosas Pampa for children who have been involved in prostitution.

CRC Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child [DOC]

In Bolivia, the average age of entry into prostitution is 16. Most of the prostituted youth are between 17 and 20. Young children tend to enter prostitution because of experiences of abuse or violence; older children are forced to prostitute themselves because of economic pressures. Most prostituted children come from the lower social classes and from broken families. Only 12.6% of prostituted children have any education, leaving them with few opportunities should they try to leave and perpetuating low self-esteem. As a result, many remain in the sex trade despite wanting to exit. Approximately one third of girls and adolescents in prostitution have between one and five children, mostly under the age of 5.

FIU Student Fights Child Prostitution in Bolivia

"I've always been interested in social issues, and this was one that needed to be addressed. Through my research and personal inspection I found girls as young as six living in brothels under abusive conditions," she said.  Not content to merely study the matter and write reports, Vaughan used her contacts at the American embassy to help secure $150,000 in funding to help rescue as many as 150 girls.

Few Union Rights, Widespread Child Labor And Extreme Poverty In Bolivia

Child prostitution remains a problem, with related law being poorly enforced and police raids ineffective and easily avoided.

Labour Standards In Bolivia - Executive Summary

The Ministry of Labour does not enforce child labour provisions. Minimal governmental resources are devoted to investigating child labour cases. As a result, UNICEF reports that the worst forms of child labour - such as mining, sugar cane harvesting and sexual exploitation – persist in the country. Child prostitution remains a problem, with related law being poorly enforced and police raids ineffective and easily avoided.

Code for Children and Adolescents

Since the approval of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by the U.N. General Assembly, in November of 1989, and the promulgation of a new Code for Children and Adolescents (CCA) in Bolivia, on October 27, 1999, the country has come a long way towards fighting to defend the rights of children and adolescents.

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Human Trafficking in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]
Street Children in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]
Child Prostitution in  [Bolivia]  [other countries]