Magnitude of and trends in childhood poverty: The regional panorama

The decline in poverty in several Latin American countries during the first eight years of the 1990s was not sufficient to curb the growing number of poor children and adolescents in the region. Of a total of 204 million poor people in 1997, 110 million were under 20 years old. Of these, 37 million belonged to the most vulnerable group, that of children under six. Based on the figures showing the outcome of the 1998-1999 crisis, which exacerbated poverty in some countries and slowed the positive trend in others, it is estimated that in 2000, no fewer than 117 million out of a total of 224 million poor people in Latin America are under 20 years old. As the twenty–first century begins, over half the children and adolescents in Latin America are poor, and over half the total number of poor people in the region are children and adolescents.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Gender Equality

Reduced Inequalities

Sustainable Cities and Communities