Noticias

The department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia, has taken a groundbreaking step by enacting Departmental Law No. 597/2025, which institutionalizes the Gabinetes de Atención Integral para Estudiantes (GAIE) — Comprehensive Student Support Centers. This law responds to an urgent issue: the rising number of violence cases within schools. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 17,000 cases of school-related violence were reported in the department, highlighting the pressing need for permanent psychosocial support services. The law was championed by the Departmental Education Directorate, with support from the NGO Realidades in partnership with Save the Children, UNFPA, and with financial support from the French Embassy.

The GAIE are safe and free spaces that provide comprehensive support to children and adolescents. They promote emotional well-being, deliver comprehensive sexuality education, and strengthen student leadership while addressing physical, psychological, sexual, and digital violence. These centers operate in coordination with public services such as Child and Adolescent Protection Offices and the public health system, ensuring timely protection. In the past year, 52% of beneficiaries were girls, and 60% were adolescents between 11 and 18 years old.

Led by trained teachers alongside psychology, pedagogy, and social work professionals, the GAIE offers guidance, active listening, and case referrals. The law was developed through a participatory process involving families, students, school directors, and education authorities through district meetings and departmental congresses.

The impact is clear: GAIE not only detects and address cases of violence but also fosters a culture of prevention and care in schools. This legislative achievement is a model that can be replicated in other departments of Bolivia, proving that collaborative work between civil society, government, and international cooperation can lead to sustainable public policies with a high impact on children and adolescents.