During the summer of 2012, on a visit to the Guna Yala indigenous region in northeastern Panama, we met Iranelda, a 16-year-old girl in labor whose baby was in a transverse position, requiring a cesarean section. She was ready to be transferred to Panama City to receive the necessary medical care. However, her family objected, trusting that the community’s healers, with their … [Read more...] about A Decade of Efforts to Reduce Maternal and Neonatal Mortality: The Salud Mesoamerica Initiative
Inter American Development Bank
Closing Gaps in Early Childhood Development: A Renewed Commitment
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, a global commitment to protect and promote children's healthy development and fulfillment of their potential, was adopted 35 years ago. On this World Children’s Day, during the event Challenging Inequalities: How to Close Gaps in Early Childhood Development, we asked ourselves: Have we lived up to this commitment? What challenges do … [Read more...] about Closing Gaps in Early Childhood Development: A Renewed Commitment
Shaping the Future of Childhood: Two Key Pillars to Improve Child Development in Ecuador
"My son came here unable to speak. He wouldn't talk, he wouldn't share. He went through a total change. He is an open, cheerful, fun child today," Alexandra tells us excitedly. She is one of the mothers who takes her son to the Child Development Center (CDI) in Ibarra, Ecuador, every morning. It is a free service that is a great help for her son's upbringing and … [Read more...] about Shaping the Future of Childhood: Two Key Pillars to Improve Child Development in Ecuador
A Project to Address Childhood Malnutrition Through the Use of Data
The Latin American and Caribbean region faces a severe malnutrition problem, including undernutrition, overweight and obesity: according to the latest FAO report (2023), the prevalence of overweight in children under 5 has increased in the last two decades and the reduction in the prevalence of stunting, which is at 11.5%, has slowed down in recent years. In Chile, this is a … [Read more...] about A Project to Address Childhood Malnutrition Through the Use of Data
Ecuador and Its Adaptation Strategy to Care for the Youngest During Times of Crisis
In order to care for the most vulnerable people in times of crisis, social protection systems need to be adaptive and resilient –– that is, they need to be able to adjust and respond flexibly and efficiently to different emergency scenarios. At the Regional Policy Dialogue, we met with policy and decision-makers from Latin America and the Caribbean to review and discuss best … [Read more...] about Ecuador and Its Adaptation Strategy to Care for the Youngest During Times of Crisis