Topic: Building Safe Communities in Conflict Zones
Country: Bolivia
Delegate Name: Tabitha Robinson
School: Flint Southwestern Classical Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Bolivia position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
Like many other developing countries poverty, weather emergencies, and violence has self-destructed the surrounding communities and has taken its toll on the children's safety, and education. UNICEF's goals are to build safe communities in conflict zones to restore their right to education, security and, add stability to the communities. UNICEF affiliates like Peacebuilding, Education, and Advocacy (PBEA) are designed to rebuild communities who suffered or are suffering from conflict. This proves to importance to Bolivia because 58% of children under 14 years old are working hazardous jobs and many children have no access to education. Also in 2012 extreme poverty was reported at 21.6% and 28% of children live in extreme poverty.
In 2013 Bolivia signed Country Programme Operation (CP) which are for the years of 2013 to 2017. The CP's goals eradicate poverty, advocate child rights, and improve education and health sectors in Bolivia. UNICEF has created the New Sunshine Program Community Wellness which provides therapy recovery from disasters (i.e. flooding, landslides, and etc.). Also UNICEF and the regional government provided the poverty stricken sugar cane farms of the Bolivian lowlands, two new schoolhouses and hired four permanent teachers. The affiliate of UNICEF, The Child-Friendly School Programme, El Alto City Government, and the Coca-Cola Foundation also provided quality educational supplies and improved the faculties by adding a football pitch to El Alto’s school. The regional governments like El Alto seem to be very willing to work with UNICEF and surrounding affiliates to provide safer communities, recovery from disasters, and better schooling for Bolivian children.
To build safer communities in Bolivia the continuation of the CP and 2025 Patriotic Agenda would help. Also creating easier access to fresh water for the Bolivian people and to further revise the child labor laws, to enforce child rights, and have all Bolivian children have access to schooling. Also working with affiliates to help provide education and therapy driven recoveries can rebuild the communities.
