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WIDESPREAD POVERTY AND HUNGER KEEP LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BEHIND MUCH OF THE REST OF THE WORLD

by urbano411 | September 16, 2007 at 05:46 am | 231 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

Latin America's success is vital to the global future. Decisions that are made now will hold great impact for the next generations. Education and fair wages are the backbone of progressive success, however, infrastructure in the region is still antiquated outside of any metropolitan areas. Quality of living will have to change if the region is to be a strong partner in the future global economy.

Latin America has made some progress in the global effort to reduce poverty, but the region still lags behind much of the rest of the world in a key goal: reducing the number of its impoverished residents.

Aside from sub-Saharan Africa, inequality remains highest in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a recent United Nations report.

About 205 million people in the region continue to live in poverty, while 79 million live in extreme poverty, meaning they cannot cover their basic dietary needs.

''Countries of the region face some daunting challenges growing out of the region's failure to make substantial inroads against poverty,'' stated the report, released in July on the Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs.