Bolivia becomes more inclusive

Photo: EFE.

A reform that better represents the nation's indigenous peoples has been implemented after a constitutional request by Bolivia's indigenous peoples of Yampara and the Sura people from Oruro department (state).

Bolivians can now add any cultural identity they want on the back of their ID cards, as the government of Evo Morales continues its efforts to build an inclusive society that better represents the nation's Indigenous peoples.

Authorities have formally registered 37 Indigenous communities, but any Bolivian will be free to modify the section. Those who do not self-identify as a distinct cultural identity will keep their ID without going through the administrative process.

“The matter of cultural identity will now encompass ID cards from Monday,” said the national director of the Bolivian Office for Personal Identification, Marco Antonio Cuba. “We will hand the documents to all Bolivian citizens who culturally self-identify with the campesinos-Indigenous peoples that they believe they belong to.”

The reform follows a constitutional request by Bolivia's Indigenous peoples of Yampara from the department of Chuquisaca and the Sura people from Oruro, who will both receive their ID cards including their cultural identities in a formal ceremony with state officials in La Paz.

The reform is now included in Bolivia's constitution.

In May, the Bolivian Congress also approved a law that grants transgender people the right to change their name, gender and photo in their government documentation in order to reflect the gender they identify with.

[Compiled from TeleSUR English.]

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