Foreword

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region has been historically characterised as a region with some of the highest rates of inequality in the world. The richest quintile of the population in the region accounts for some 56 per cent national incomes, for instance. The COVID-19 pandemic has now widened the gap. In the wake of closing and suffering businesses, incomes have dropped and unemployment has risen with millions of households struggling to get by. Moreover, the digital divide — notably the lack of high-speed broadband internet and appropriate digital skills — have prevented many people, especially the most vulnerable, from working or studying from home during the crisis. In these unprecedented circumstances, 22 million more people have fallen below the poverty line in the region, returning to 2008 levels.

Sustainable Development Goals:

No Poverty

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Reduced Inequalities