On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Bolívia LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Bolivia country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Bolívia COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Bolivia.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Bolívia is a signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since 1982 Bolivia has been both a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to its 1967 Protocol. It has also accepted the UN Statelessness Conventions.
Regionally, Bolivia applies the refugee definition according to the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees of 1984.
The Bolivian Constitution of 2009 recognizes the right to asylum and the protection against refoulement as constitutional rights in article 29. Moreover, the 2012 Ley de Protección a Personas Refugiadas (Law on the Protection of Refugees) establishes the domestic refugee protection framework in Bolívia. It is complemented by the Migration Law nº 370 of May 2013, which reinforces and broadens refugee protection in Bolivia, and by the Ministerial Resolution nº50 of 9 March 2016 on the Status of Refugees that facilitates the process of naturalization for refugees and stateless persons.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Address: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores – Calle Junín esq. Ingavi Piso 3°, La Paz, Bolivia
Tel: +(591 2) 240 8359
Email: Conare@rree.gob.bo
Working Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30 and 14:30-18:30
The National Refugee Commission (CONARE) is in charge of adjudicating asylum claims and finding durable solutions for refugees. It is possible to get information on migratory regularisation there.
Address: Casa Luz Verde, El Alto: Calle Tihuanacu N° 777, near the last stop of the Cable Car (‘Teleférico‘) Morado and of Av. 6 de marzo
Tel: +591 74067221 / +591 68075586 / +591 67042832
E-mail: fundacion@munasimkullakita.org
Working Hours: Mon-Tue 9:00 – 16:00
The Munasim Kullakita Foundation started as part of a social work promoted by the Catholic Church (Diocese of El Alto) in 2008. Since 2018, ithas been providing care for children, adolescents and women in a situation of human mobility due to their highly vulnerable situation in their migratory or refugee processes. In order to address the different social situations described above, the FMK implements 5 programmes: (a) Attention and Intervention to Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation, b) Prevention, c) Community Treatment, d) International Protection and e) Political Advocacy and Network Strengthening Programme. The Foundation currently covers the municipalities of El Alto, La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Desaguadero, Caranavi, Rurrenabaque and the border municipalities of Desaguadero and Guayaramerín.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Address: Avenida Simón Bolívar No. 1515, La Paz
Tel: +591(2) 2202930/2202934
Email: secretaria@cruzrojaboliviana.org
Bolivian Red Cross (BRC) provides asylum-seekers, people granted protection in Bolivia humanitarian assistance (food and hygienic kits, if available in stock – secondhand clothing and footwear for children and adults), counseling on and facilitation of integration, referral to relevant state authorities for targeted assistance in accordance with their competence. BRC can also assist you to look for any missing family members.
Website
Address: Pichincha Street corner Ingavi Street, Juan Pablo II Building, Fourth Floor (Centre Area)
Tel: +5 +591 (2) 240 6478
E-mail: reception@caritasbolivia.org
Facebook
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Caritas Bolivia is an institution of the Catholic Church that provides humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees in Bolívia.
Website: www.defensor.gob.bo
Address: Calle Colombia N° 440, between Héroes del Acre and Gral. González, Zona San Pedro.
Tel: +591 70586686 / +591 (2) 211 3600 / +591 (7) 058 6686
Emails: correspondencia@defensoria.gob.bo / aldo.cortes@defensoria.gob.bo
Facebook: /DPBoliviaOf
Working Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:30 hs
The Defensoría is an institution of the Plurinational State at the service of the people for the defence, enforcement and promotion of human rights with an emphasis on vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. The Ombudsman’s Office is an institution that was created by constitutional mandate on 30 December 1997 by Law No. 1818. It has the function of overseeing the enforcement, promotion, dissemination and fulfilment of individual and collective human rights, as established in the Political Constitution of the State, laws and international instruments. Anyone can get free legal aid in diverse matters at the Defensoría.
Website
Address: Edif. Montecristo, Floor 1, Office 103 Calle 22 No. 7896 esq. Av Ballivian, Calacoto La Paz, Bolivia
Tel: +591 2 2770161
Email: iomlapaz@iom.int
International Organization for Migration (IOM) assists foreign citizens with assisted voluntary return to the countries of their origin as well as provides consultations on safe travel and stay abroad. Over the years, IOM Bolívia has been implementing projects in the following spheres: combating human trafficking; labour migration; integrated border management; cross-border cooperation; migration and health; crisis response. Its activities regarding the support to migrants include providing direct assistance to beneficiaries on food and non-food items; accommodation; transportation; medical assistance; facilitation of employment.
Bolivia LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Bolivia.
Bolivia COI
Find Bolivia country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated April 2023