La Paz, March 7, 2025 (AND) – Faced with 50,325 cases of gender-based violence registered in 2024 in Bolivia, a figure that reflects an alarming crisis, Ipas Bolivia, with the support of the Canadian Embassy, promoted an innovative response: the Digital Leadership Program in Defense of Sexual and Reproductive Rights (DSDR). On March 6, at the Hotel Calacoto in La Paz, the results of this initiative that empowers young voices as tools for change in the digital environment were presented.
For seven and a half months, the program trained 12 young people from La Paz and El Alto in digital leadership, sexual and reproductive rights, content creation and social media activism. The result was the creation of 12 digital projects and the formation of the “Infórmate Imilla” collective, a network of activists that now transforms platforms such as TikTok and Instagram into spaces for raising awareness about sensitive issues such as comprehensive sexual education, bodily autonomy and the prevention of gender-based violence.
“In a context where talking about sexual and reproductive rights continues to be a challenge, this program demonstrates that young people have the power to break silences, challenge stigmas and lead change from digital platforms. Their commitment is a beacon of hope for transforming the reality of gender-based violence in Bolivia,” said Malena Morales, country director of Ipas Bolivia.
According to data from the Attorney General’s Office, in 2024 there were also 3,737 cases of sexual abuse, 3,140 cases of rape and 2,696 cases of rape of children and adolescents. These numbers not only reflect a structural crisis, but also the urgency of promoting access to reliable information and generating safe spaces where young people can talk openly about their rights.
Projects with the objective of turning networks into information spaces:
As a result of this training, projects emerged in social networks such as TikTok and Instagram: Jakaranda, Luna Dice, La Capibara Chismosa, Alerta Lila, Emi en Acción, Mamá Sabe, Hackeando el Momento, Warmi Cíclica, Amándome, P_asposo_informa, Luminvala and Informate con Cami. These initiatives use social networks to inform, raise awareness and promote bodily autonomy in Bolivia.
The impact of these spaces was significant. As noted by Anghi Vallejos, creator of the Mama Sabe project, “I learned the strategic use of social networks to promote SRHR in my community, and also that self-esteem in each person is a fundamental basis for promoting and defending SRHR based on freedom, autonomy and access to the information necessary to make informed decisions about sexuality and reproduction.
From another perspective, Daana Mamani, creator of Hackeando el Momento, highlighted the importance of connecting with the audience: “I want my content to motivate reflection and break taboos about sexual and reproductive rights. I hope that people can find reliable information that will help them generate real changes in their environments and perspectives”.
“Social networks today are more than entertainment; they have the potential to be powerful tools for activism and social transformation. These young women are starting from what for many years has been taboo, generating content that informs, empowers and challenges norms that perpetuate violence,” noted Wara Rojas, communications coordinator for Ipas Bolivia.
Winning projects
At the closing event, awards were given to the three most outstanding projects of this first generation of the program:
-Third place: La Capibara Chismosa, by Juliett Barriga, an initiative that uses humor and outreach to demystify issues of sexuality and rights.
– Second place: Jakaranda, by Carla Hernández, a project that promotes comprehensive sexuality education and access to safe information.Second place: Jakaranda, by Carla Hernández, a project that promotes comprehensive sexual education and access to safe information.
-First place: Alerta Lila, by Elena Batuani, a digital platform that makes gender violence visible and promotes bodily autonomy in Bolivia.
These projects have managed to stand out in social networks in the last two months that they have been active, raising awareness among the population and generating fundamental spaces for dialogue on sexual and reproductive rights.
About Ipas Bolivia:
Ipas Bolivia is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that has been working in Bolivia since 1998 to strengthen the capacity of women, youth and adolescents to fully exercise their Sexual and Reproductive Rights (SRR).