Bolivia has remained affected by the conflicts surrounding the 2019 elections, and under the
umbrella of the Bolivian Vice-President’s Office, the UN, with the support of several other members
of the international community including the EU ( 6 ), initiated a “reencuentro” process to help
promote dialogue between the different political and societal groups, with a view to overcoming the
fissures created by the 2019 elections and its aftermath. However, this much-awaited process has
struggled to gain real momentum and there has been limited progress on reparation and redress to
victims
Conclusions and priorities Despite some positive legislative reforms in the last few years, major
concerns about the labour rights situation in Bolivia remain, notably regarding freedom of
association, collective bargaining and child labour and these should be addressed as a matter of
priority. In the reporting period, Bolivia has not made progress to fully align its legislation to
Conventions No. 87 and No. 98 on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
There is a need for an effective social dialogue between the Government, employers’ and workers’
representatives to agree on the amending provisions to the General Labour Law of 1942 (among
others to grant agricultural workers and public servants effective rights to freely associate and
collectively bargain), the adoption of which is pending for several years. There were also reports
regarding preventive detentions of trade union leaders and discrimination against them as well as
different interference activities. Further efforts are needed to align the relevant legislation notably
regarding fines for those involved in such actions. The Bolivian Government has made progress in
addressing human trafficking and forced labour, with the latest edition of the Plurinational Policy
against Trafficking and Smuggling in Persons adopted in May 2022. Steps have also been taken to
tackle both phenomena in practice, through the recruitment of additional labour inspectors and
other staff in nine regional prosecutors’ offices and providing training and equipment notably for
prosecutors and police officers. More needs to be done to ensure the identification of and support
to victims, and the prosecution and conviction of perpetrators of human trafficking. Moreover, the
enforcement services need further staff, equipment, resources, and training to be able to conduct
effective mobile inspections and other activities. Child labour has continued to be a prominent
feature in Bolivian society and increased notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Elements of a
policy framework have been adopted, including goals related to elimination of child labour and its
worst forms. The Government has also taken steps, in cooperation with NGOs and international
partners, to address child labour by education programmes, awareness raising, labour inspections,
promoting businesses not using child labour and providing alternative economic opportunities for
poor families. The data from consecutive child labour surveys suggests a reduction in the number of
children engaged in economic activity and hazardous work; however, further efforts and a holistic
approach, including proper records and controls, are needed to achieve the goal of eradicating child
labour by 2025.