Can infrastructure programs both create employment and prevent crime? The question is not an easy one. Latin America and the Caribbean—like many other regions—has invested in municipal infrastructure to improve the well-being of its citizens. It has built theaters, recreation centers and sports arenas, paved roads, provided new lighting and better sewerage. It has used such … [Read more...] about Preventing Crime with Construction Projects
Social Issues
Health vs. Education: A Tale of Two Sectors
The history of health and education over the last half century is a tale of two sectors, one vastly more dynamic and successful than the other. On the bright side, Latin America — and much of the world — has made immense progress in eradicating diseases that caused death, deformities and suffering, like smallpox and polio. Advances in primary health care, including … [Read more...] about Health vs. Education: A Tale of Two Sectors
Can Women Break the Glass Ceiling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Over the last 20 years, Latin Amerand the Caribbean has made large strides to close the gender gap in education and employment. Since the early 1990s, more women than men in the region have been enrolled in school at the secondary and tertiary levels. And today women make up more than 40% of the region's labor force despite the stereotypes that make those gains … [Read more...] about Can Women Break the Glass Ceiling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
The Hidden Traumas of Natural Disasters
On May 31, 1970, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale rifled across the regions of Ancash and La Libertad in northern Peru, collapsing roads, homes and schools and unleashing an avalanche that buried the town of Yungay in a mass of rock and ice. More than 66,000 people were killed, more than 100,000 were injured, and hundreds of thousands more were left homeless. … [Read more...] about The Hidden Traumas of Natural Disasters
The Problem with Taxing the Rich
It's never easy to get the wealthy to pay their taxes — and Latin America is no exception. Not only do they have the political clout to fight legislation that would increase their contributions relative to low-earners. They can afford top-flight lawyers and accountants to help them maneuver around their income taxes through loopholes and offshore tax havens. As a result, tax … [Read more...] about The Problem with Taxing the Rich