Adolescents and Youths in action
According to Bolivia’s 2024 Population and Housing Census, 35% of the national population is between the ages of 10 and 28 years old. In other words, more than one-third of the country is made up of adolescents and young people. This demographic reality confirms that Bolivia has fully entered its demographic dividend: a transformative stage in population dynamics that offers a unique window of opportunity for the nation’s development. It is the moment in our history with the highest share of human capital — undeniably, a time of hope.
Yet this opportunity coexists with deep structural challenges. An estimated 25% of young people aged 15 to 28 are neither studying nor employed, with women accounting for roughly two-thirds of this group (INESAD, 2022). Those who do access education often face significant gaps in quality, and when they enter the labor market, they do so in precarious and insecure conditions typical of an economy that is largely informal. Indeed, the International Labour Organization identifies Bolivia as the South American country with the highest rate of labor informality, with 8 in 10 people working in the informal economy.
Adolescent girls face additional barriers. The 2023 Health Survey (INE/EDSA) estimates that the adolescent pregnancy rate — covering girls aged 10 to 19 — stands at 14.34%. This figure not only reflects a violation of human rights but also poses a direct limitation on young women’s opportunities for full development.
This third quarterly newsletter from Save the Children Bolivia shares these and other pressing realities, but above all, it highlights successful experiences that are helping adolescents and youth transition to adulthood with dignity, autonomy, and real opportunities — all within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategy for Adolescent and Youth Development designed by the Bolivia Country Office in accordance with the common approach “life skills for success”.