More than 3000 boys and girls work illegally and in precarious conditions; this adds to 3.500 adolescents that work in similar conditions and without labor rights in the collection and processing of chestnut. A big quantity of them present (decline )held back in school because of this work, others got sick with malaria or parasitism; but their worst ailment is to be held as cheap hand labor for the working market or the Amazonia north of Bolivia.

In 1991 the USA decreed the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) to combat drug production and trafficking in the Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru).

The 15 International Festival of the Pantanal, will be distributed in subject areas across poles: Amazonia, Araguaia, Cerrado and the Pantanal, beyond the States, countries and institutions invited to make an exhibition of cultural and tourist potential of its regions and its people.

Both COPLA Nicaragua and Bolivia address the use of natural resources by the poor. While it is recognised that their participation in the value chain is important, it is also true that this does not guarantee success for those involved. It is also the case that a wide range of policies are necessary to develop the systems, competencies and skills that are conducive to the poor successfully participating of community based forestry and the trade of forest-related products. A recent paper from ODI Natural Resoruces Perspective by Benno Pokorny and James Johnson suggests the following:

Although Bolivia is experiencing a period economic prosperity at the moment, the country continues to face problems with poverty and difficulties in sharing wealth.

The team from GNTP has developed an initiative that considers three pillars: capacity building pilot initiatives, an evidence lab or hub and dialogue for impact. The inception phase of their strategy therefore sees work carried out on two equally important fronts: raising awareness and establishing partnerships with key actors with whom to develop capacity building pilot projects and engage in dialogues; and carrying out in depth research on the three sectors identified to identify concrete capacity needs of the different actors and set the stage for new research and capacity development opportunities.

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Access to and use of natural resources is a subject that has been the cause of considerable conflict and which until now, has remained unresolved by conventional democratic approaches and dialogue.

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GNTP will be working with ODI in the UK, CIES in Peru, Nitlapán in Nicaragua, and CIPPEC in Argentina on a two year trade and poverty programme which launches today.

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