Empowered youth work together for human rights

In Bolivia, there are passionate youth, very eager to stand up for human rights. Despite the risks and threats, these inspiring young people challenge the strongly rooted systems of oppression and gender norms. They encounter social backlash, intimidation and violence, while compromising their own security and protection.

These young people or work to promote and protect the advancement of human rights and freedoms around the world. WHRDs come from diverse experiences with individual and collective action. Some have worked through feminist and youth-led movements and some have been civil society members, grassroots activists, and community influencers.

Most WHRDS build their work based on their own first-hand experiences of discrimination and inequalities in their families and communities from a very early age. This background not only gives them legitimacy to demand equality and justice, but also makes them share common values to challenge patriarchy, heteronormativity, and fundamentalisms.

Girls working for girls’ human rights in Bolivia

“Sisterhood is the alliance between women, the trust to each other. If one falls, we all pick her up”. Naira, 14 years old – Riberalta

“Sororidad,” or Sisterhood, is the feeling that in Bolivia attribute as the reason why they are committed to advocate for girls’ rights and collectively work for those rights. A group of girls between 10 to 19 years old from the La Paz, Cochabamba and El Beni regions of Bolivia are working together to advance gender equality and girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights. They participated in a series of training about topics related to human rights, empowerment, feminism, and sexuality. While participating in the training, these girls said they felt more confident to engage with each other.

Girls recognize that to increase the impact of their work they need to target different members of their communities, including leaders, parents, caregivers, and boys.

Activities include performing musical sessions or board games to challenge traditional gender roles – such as advocating for men to have a greater involvement in unpaid care work. They also include playful workshops in public markets and schools on sexual and reproductive health rights and the prevention of and response to gender-based violence.

“What we learned is that sexual health is the well-being that I feel within myself, and with my body. And I learned that reproductive health is the right that I have to decide how many children I want to have and with whom, I have a right to start my sexual life when I decide, I have the right to have the necessary information to know the contraceptive methods, and to go to specialized health centers for adolescents.” Mercedes, 15 years old – Riberalta

In addition, youth have held direct sessions with female parliamentarian representatives to discuss laws that need to be enforced, such as the formal participation of girls and boys at municipal decision-making spaces and the protection of women and girls against violence.

“Since I got here, I knew that my destiny is to be president. I feel that I like it. I feel myself empowered. I know that I’m capable. I think in the future I will be president”. Gabriela, 16 years old – Cochabamba

It is extremely important to support the critical work of these WHRD’s by allocating funds and providing connection with other feminist and human defenders groups. It is equally important to put in place appropriate mechanisms to protect their safety and security against any form of violence.

“The personal impact that this project has had for me, is that it has allowed be to see different realities and be able to impact and raise awareness within my context – my family, my neighbors. For me, the project has offered me great help by being able to encourage and promote leadership.” – Andrea, 15 years old

During Human Rights Day (December 10), let’s acknowledge the work that thousands of women, girls and LGTBQI+ do to advance human rights. Above all, let’s join their efforts to demand more equality, justice and reparation for victims and survivors of gender-based violence across the globe.

 

By: Elena Mas-Minetti and Raquel Asencios