Act2gether in Bolivia

Strengthening Participatory Democracy, Children’s Rights and Well-being through Intergenerational Partnerships

Since 2019, Act2gether Bolivia has been locally implemented by a dedicated team, with strategic support from the Learning for Well-being Foundation (L4WB-F). Our work is rooted in deep collaboration with national and local stakeholders to ensure sustainable, rights-based change for children and youth across Bolivia.

The Challenge

In Bolivia, more than half of all children live in poverty. This limits their access to quality education, healthcare, and nutrition, compromising not only their physical well-being but also their ability to learn, grow, and realise their full potential.

Despite existing legal frameworks, children continue to face:

  • Systemic discrimination and social exclusion
  • Child labour often prevents school attendance
  • Cultural norms that prioritise adult voices
  • Inadequate community and institutional support for participation
  • Environments marked by instability and violence

Children are rarely included in decisions that shape their lives. This must change.

We believe long-term change comes from intergenerational partnerships—children and adults working together as equal contributors to community and systemic transformation.

Our projects support children and youth to develop their core capacities—the abilities that allow individuals to understand themselves, others, and their world. By nurturing these capacities, children are empowered to become active agents of change.

Over the past five years, we have embedded this approach across five interconnected systems:

  • Schools
  • Families
  • Communities
  • Civil society
  • Government

 

At every level, we promote shared responsibility, meaningful participation, and inclusive dialogue.

We work across sectors to strengthen participatory systems through:

Participatory Grant-making – Funding intergenerational projects led by children and youth to drive social change in their communities.

Digital Platforms for Advocacy – Connecting generations and building digital capacities that empower children to speak up and lead.

Knowledge Tools and Research – Creating practical guidelines, toolkits, and research to scale meaningful participation. These include:

  • Guides for Municipal Councils of Children
  • Toolboxes for early childhood participation in schools
  • Reports on the state of child participation and national legal frameworks

Intergenerational Forums and Dialogues – Designing spaces for collective learning and joint action between children and adults.

Policy Advocacy – Supporting alternative reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and engaging directly with government stakeholders to improve implementation and accountability.

Through Act2gether in Bolivia:

  • Children access safe, meaningful spaces to develop their potential
  • Adults and children form stronger intergenerational partnerships
  • Local systems for child participation become more inclusive and effective
  • Children’s rights and holistic well-being are advanced across policy and practice

Resources

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Related content

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International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP)

Children as Actors for Transforming Society (C.A.T.S.)