Open Call: Safe and Violence-Free Tourism for Women and Girls (Bolivia)

Deadline: 15-Jun-2026

The UN Women initiative in Bolivia is a funding call designed to promote safe, inclusive, and violence-free tourism environments for women and girls. It focuses on preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence in tourist destinations while strengthening institutional responses, community awareness, and evidence-based policy development.

The programme is implemented across key tourism locations in Bolivia and aims to transform social norms, improve safety in public spaces, and build coordinated systems for prevention and response to violence against women and girls.

About the Initiative

This initiative is led by UN Women and works in collaboration with Bolivia’s Vice Ministry of Sustainable Tourism, local governments, civil society organizations, and tourism-sector stakeholders.

It supports multi-level interventions combining research, policy development, public awareness, and practical safety improvements in tourist areas. The programme emphasizes coordinated action between public institutions, private sector actors, and community organizations.

Purpose of the Programme

The main objective is to create safe tourism environments and reduce gender-based violence affecting women and girls in public and tourist spaces.

Key purposes include:

• Preventing and responding to sexual harassment and gender-based violence in tourism areas
• Promoting safe and inclusive public spaces for women and girls
• Strengthening institutional capacity to address violence in tourism environments
• Transforming social norms that normalize harassment and abuse
• Supporting evidence-based policy and regulatory development
• Improving coordination between tourism, governance, and support systems

Focus Areas

The programme targets several interconnected areas of intervention:

• Promotion of women’s and girls’ right to safe access to cities and territories
• Prevention and response systems for sexual violence in tourism zones
• Generation of data and research on harassment in tourist environments
• Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks aligned with international standards
• Development of protocols and tools for violence prevention and response
• Urban improvements (“urban acupuncture”) to enhance safety in public spaces
• Awareness campaigns and behaviour change strategies
• Engagement of tourism-sector stakeholders in prevention efforts

Geographic Scope

The initiative is implemented in key tourism municipalities in Bolivia, including:

• Salar de Uyuni
• Copacabana
• Tiwanaku
• Toro Toro

These locations will also be the focus of research and data collection activities related to gender-based violence in tourism spaces.

Funding Overview

The programme provides financial support for eligible implementing organizations.

Key funding details include:

• Total budget range: BOB 685,500 to BOB 754,050
• Equivalent to approximately USD 100,000 to USD 110,000
• Funding allocated through competitive proposal selection
• Resources intended for project implementation, research, and capacity building

Eligible Applicants

Applications are open to organizations with experience in gender equality, violence prevention, or community-based development.

Eligible applicants include:

• NGO networks and coalitions
• Consortia of feminist and women’s rights organizations
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) meeting eligibility criteria
• Partnerships or collaborative applications led by a designated lead organization

Key requirement:

• The lead organization is fully responsible for project implementation and results

Project Components

Selected projects may include the following activities:

• Research and studies on sexual harassment in tourism spaces
• Data collection and analysis on gender-based violence in tourist areas
• Development of prevention protocols and institutional guidelines
• Capacity building for local authorities and service providers
• Awareness campaigns targeting tourists, businesses, and communities
• Improvements to public spaces to enhance safety for women and girls
• Coordination mechanisms between tourism and violence prevention sectors

Research and Knowledge Generation

A key component of the initiative is the production of a dedicated study on sexual harassment and gender-based violence in tourism environments.

This research will:

• Be conducted in selected municipalities (Uyuni, Copacabana, Tiwanaku, Toro Toro)
• Generate evidence on risks faced by women and girls in tourism spaces
• Inform policy development and institutional responses
• Support long-term prevention strategies based on data and analysis

Expected Outcomes

The programme aims to achieve:

• Improved safety for women and girls in tourism environments
• Stronger institutional frameworks for prevention and response
• Better coordination between public, private, and community actors
• Increased awareness of gender-based violence in tourism sectors
• Evidence-based policies and regulatory improvements
• Safer and more inclusive public spaces in key tourist destinations

Application Requirements

Applicants are expected to:

• Demonstrate expertise in gender equality or violence prevention
• Provide a clear implementation plan and methodology
• Show capacity for multi-stakeholder coordination
• Present a structured budget aligned with funding limits
• Include strategies for research, outreach, and policy impact
• Ensure compliance with partnership and leadership requirements

Selection Criteria

Proposals are typically evaluated based on:

• Relevance to gender-based violence prevention in tourism
• Technical quality and feasibility of the proposed activities
• Strength of partnerships and coordination mechanisms
• Capacity to deliver research and policy outcomes
• Alignment with international standards on gender equality
• Cost-effectiveness and budget clarity
• Potential for sustainable impact

Importance of the Programme

This initiative addresses critical safety challenges faced by women and girls in tourism environments.

Key impacts include:

• Reducing harassment and violence in public tourist spaces
• Strengthening institutional accountability and response systems
• Improving safety infrastructure in high-traffic tourism zones
• Enhancing data availability on gender-based violence
• Supporting long-term behavioural and cultural change
• Promoting inclusive and equitable tourism development

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the purpose of this initiative?
  It aims to prevent gender-based violence and create safe tourism environments for women and girls in Bolivia.
• Who leads the programme?
  It is led by UN Women in collaboration with national and local stakeholders.
• What is the funding amount?
  Between BOB 685,500 and BOB 754,050 (approximately USD 100,000–110,000).
• Who can apply?
  NGOs, feminist organizations, coalitions, and NGO consortia meeting eligibility requirements.
• Where will the project be implemented?
  In tourism municipalities including Salar de Uyuni, Copacabana, Tiwanaku, and Toro Toro.
• What activities are funded?
  Research, policy development, awareness campaigns, capacity building, and safety interventions.
• Can organizations apply in partnership?
  Yes, but one lead organization must take full responsibility for implementation.

Conclusion

The UN Women Safe Tourism Initiative in Bolivia supports coordinated efforts to prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence in tourism environments. Through funding of up to approximately USD 110,000, the programme enables organizations to implement research, policy development, awareness campaigns, and safety interventions. It contributes to building safer, more inclusive public spaces for women and girls while strengthening institutional responses and long-term systemic change.

For more information, visit UN Women.