How can evidence contribute to reducing ethnic and racial inequalities from one generation to the next? What role do biases—conscious or unconscious—play in medical, judicial, or police decisions? What do we know—and what do we need to know—to design more effective public policies that support all people? These and other questions were at the heart of the annual conference “Race, Ethnicity, and Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean (REP LAC)”, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in early 2025.

Experts from academia and public policy leaders working in the region shared valuable insights on how to reduce and mitigate structural inequalities through evidence-based policies. From classrooms to hospitals, workplaces, and criminal justice systems, specialists presented data that help us better understand how biases operate in the region and how to intervene effectively. Below are some of the findings.  

Evidence in classrooms and medical services  

Anjali Adukia, from the University of Chicago, presented research on how schools can reproduce stereotypes through textbooks, the stories they tell, and disciplinary policies. For example, in the textbooks analyzed, 9 out of the 10 most mentioned historical figures were white men. Only a few Afro-descendant figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, appeared among the most referenced. She also shared findings on restorative practices in Chicago public schools, showing that these helped reduce suspensions and arrests, particularly among Afro-descendant students.  

On the other hand, Adriana Corredor-Waldron, from North Carolina State University, shared evidence on medical care. Her study showed that Afro-descendant women in the United States are 25% more likely to receive unplanned cesarean sections compared to non-Hispanic white women. This difference disappears when unplanned cesareans coincide with scheduled ones, suggesting that disparities may stem from discretionary decisions by medical staff rather than observable medical factors.  

Justice, security, and technology  

The focus also included algorithmic bias. Wael Jabr, from Pennsylvania State University, addressed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the U.S. judicial system. His studies indicate that AI is increasingly used to assess the risk of recidivism among convicted individuals, expanding the use of alternatives to incarceration and reducing sentence lengths for those deemed low-risk. While these algorithms help reduce gender disparities, they also reveal that without proper oversight, AI can reproduce existing biases—especially racial ones—affecting equity and public safety.  

Persistence of inequalities and opportunities  

In the region, Indigenous peoples face a historic lack of educational opportunities, reflected in limited access to quality services and school environments that often fail to recognize their cultural identity. Patrick McEwan, from Wellesley College, presented evidence on the impact of a scholarship program for low-income Indigenous students in Chile, in place since 1991. The study found that groups who received the scholarships earned, on average, 22% more in labor income as adults. These effects helped reduce pre-existing ethnic gaps and revealed that post-tax income increases were 190 times greater than the government’s net spending on the program.  

REP LAC: a space for dialogue and action  

The REP LAC conference is an annual forum for exchanging ideas on how to apply evidence to effective public policies. Beyond documenting inequalities, the studies offer concrete clues for overcoming them. The message is clear: well-designed policies, based on data and attentive to social context, can make a real difference for historically excluded populations.  

At the IDB, we will continue to promote the generation and use of knowledge to support policies that help build more equitable societies. The call for REP LAC 2026 will open very soon. If you are researching race, ethnicity, and public policy—or if you are looking for spaces to share and learn—stay tuned.  

Reducing gaps requires more evidence, more dialogue, and more collective commitment.