Latin America overview

5 October 2007

Despite achievements in basic education and health provision in recent years, the Latin America and Caribbean region is characterised by persistent and severe levels of poverty and some of the highest levels of inequality in the world. 

Issues affecting the region:

Corruption by political elites is widespread, organised political violence persists, and many governments are failing to address poverty and social injustice. Marginalised groups, such as poor young people, lack the capacity to participate in political processes.

The region hosts a high number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people. In Colombia, there are 3 million displaced people, 50% of whom are under the age of 18.  Over 20 million people from Latin America and the Caribbean live outside their country of birth, many leaving to escape poverty and limited employment options in their country.

According to the UN, over 27 million adolescents and young people in the region live on less than $2 a day. The International Labour Office estimates that youth unemployment in the region has increased over the past decade, to almost 17% in 2006. 

Violence has increased dramatically in recent decades within the region, with a significant impact on development and governance. Marginalised youth are often stigmatised and vulnerable to participation in violent gangs and armed groups.

Poverty, gender inequality, illiteracy, poor sex education and deteriorating health infrastructure contribute to increasing levels of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. The Caribbean has the second-highest adult HIV prevalence in the world, with over half of all infections estimated to occur among adolescents and young adults. Women, indigenous groups and marginalised youth experience unequal access to services for sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

The region is often affected by natural disasters, notably hurricanes and earthquakes that have devastated communities across the region.

What are we doing?

Since 1984, YCI has worked with national and local YMCAs in Latin America to address the diverse issues affecting young people. YCI has partnerships with YMCAs in Central and South America including: Honduras, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, and is initiating partnerships with Guatemala and YMCAs in the Caribbean region.  YCI’s projects support a number of marginalised groups including: street and working children and young people; indigenous youth; girls and young women; young offenders; former gang members and combatants; internally displaced and rural youth.

YCI’s work in the region focuses on the following programmatic areas: adolescent reproductive health; HIV prevention and reduction of HIV-related stigma; rehabilitation and integration of former child soldiers; life skills, vocational training and livelihoods; youth citizenship; youth justice; and strengthening youth serving organisations.

In addition to long-term development work, we respond to the frequent natural disasters and emergencies that occur in the region, for example, providing support to Peru YMCA in their response to the massive earthquake that devastated the city of Pisco in August 2007.