A country of statistical extremes, landlocked Bolivia is the highest and most isolated country in South America. It has the largest proportion of indigenous people, who make up around two-thirds of the population.
Urbanisation – rural communities, coca growers in particular, are losing their livelihoods and so moving into the cities in the hope of making a living. The cities are unable to support the rapidly growing population, and so poverty persists.
Violence in the family is a serious problem in Bolivia. UNICEF estimates that 60% of street children in Bolivia have left home because of physical violence. Domestic violence is widespread and often unreported – and when it is reported, results in only a few days in jail and a small fine.
Large families mean that parents are often unable to look after all their children – UNICEF estimates that 20% of street children have left home because there was not enough to eat, and that 20% of street children have been abandoned by their parents.
Child labour has a long history in Bolivia due to poverty – estimates suggest that there are around 800,000 children under 18 working on the streets (UNICEF). Approximately 30% of working children and adolescents live in urban areas. Working on the streets, children often begin to spend more and more time there, until they eventually stop going home altogether.

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