Catherwood LibraryILR School

Currently, Bolivian law and the International Labor Organization (ILO) sets the minimum working age in the country at 14, but 800,000 children are either working below that age, or are between 14 and 17 years old and working in conditions dangerous to their long term health. The issue is receiving national attention as the Bolivian Union of Child and Adolescent Workers (UNATSBO) pushes for an even lower minimum legal age to create safer opportunities for children by shining a light on the illegitimate practices that some employers get away with under the table. With no social safety net in the country and over 10% of the population surviving on less than $1.25 per day, children are often forced into working regardless of whether it is legal work or not. The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, spoke out saying that child work should not be eliminated completely, but forced work and exploitation should be.