The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)

In July 1994, the The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) selected Bolivia as an eligible country so COMIBOL could receive support from the Kingdom of Denmark goverment through the Environmental Department (DIMA), which came in effect since January of 2000. The support began with Phase I, through the Danish Cooperation Program for the Environment Sector (PCSDMA). This first stage was committed to the prevention and mitigation of mining pollution in the upstream rivers of Tupiza and Cotagaita (Atocha).

The initial objective of this support was to diminish the effects of acid mine drainage, heavy metal pollution, air pollution, miners health problems, and underground water sources deterioration, used for human and animal consumption and irrigation.

During this phase, a gender initiative was developed under the name of Women Miners Plan, who worked on topics related to strategic interests to promote changes in the women miners subordinate position, seeking greater participation in the decision-making, equal access to productive resources and equal opportunity of rights before the law.

The following aspects have been considered for the second phase (of the called component 3), considering the Phase I experiences and the institutionalization process of the environmental management in the institution:

1. Integration of component 3 in the Five-Year Plan of DIMA, in a process of extensive involvement with executive and technical staff of the institution.
2. The definition of three areas of intervention: institutional, environmental and social, which are integrated into the management of the DIMA, following the roles and specific mandates of COMIBOL.
3. The definition of environmental management under the principles of prevention, control and mitigation, and a social management with a gender perspective with emphasis on productive and social projects related to mining activities, through awareness and training programs on leadership and the women miners rights.
4. Prioritization of remediation jobs with risk and cost/benefit previous studies that will allow a better allocation of resources, considering mine waste and tailing deposits as potential economic resources that could generate surplus to support environmental management in the institution.
5. Gradual incorporation of a cleaner production concept in mining as a tool to encourage enhanced productivity and good environmental practices, particularly in mining cooperatives with potential growth.
6. The search for an institutional commitment that allows the environmental management become self-sustained, that can be reflected in the financial commitment and job stability of DIMA.

In this context, in 2002 the Department of the Environment (DIMA) was created to implement activities related to prevention, control and mitigation of environmental pollution.

DIMA has financial support from the Cooperation of the Kingdom of Denmark for implementing its activities. This donation program is active since 2002 until 2011.