Bolivia

Aerial view of river running through rainforest

Bolivia declares its first Indigenous protected area in its Amazon

By / / Good News For Humankind

In a historic victory for conservation and Indigenous rights, Bolivia has designated Loma Santa as the first Indigenous Protected Area in its Amazon region. This landmark decision grants legal authority to the Moxeño Ignaciano, Yuracaré, and Tsimane peoples to manage their ancestral lands. By securing land tenure, the move protects vital rainforest ecosystems from illegal encroachment and deforestation. This model of Indigenous-led stewardship empowers local communities and sets a powerful precedent for environmental justice across the Amazon basin.

Bolivian flag

Bolivia bans child marriage

By / / Good News For Humankind

In a major victory for children’s rights, Bolivia has passed a law that officially bans child marriage. This landmark legislation, which makes Bolivia the 14th country in Latin America to take this step, eliminates legal loopholes that had previously allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. The change is the result of a four-year campaign by groups like Save the Children, and it’s a powerful move to protect children from violence and ensure they have a chance at a healthy future.

Bolivian rainforest

Bolivian town Sena protects 1 million acres of Amazon rainforest

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Called the Gran Manupare Integrated Management Natural Area, the law was overseen by, and passed for the benefit of, “peasants and indigenous communities,” per a statement from the mayor’s office. Located in the Pando Department in the far northern corner of Bolivia, the new protected area represents almost 8% of its forests and has significantly increased the region’s conservation coverage to 26%. In the past 25 years, Bolivian towns like Sena have protected 10 million contiguous 25 million acres of Bolivia’s Amazon—an area nearly the size of Iceland.

Squirrel monkey

New fund supports Indigenous-led land management in biodiverse area of Bolivia

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The Wildlife Conservation Society launched the new funding mechanism, in collaboration with Bolivia’s Foundation for the Development of the National System of Protected Areas. The new mechanism will channel conservation funds to Indigenous organizations in the Madidi Landscape, one of the most biodiverse terrestrial protected areas in the world. The new fund has so far attracted $650,000 in initial support from the Bezos Earth Fund.