Early childhood, inequalities and rights in Latin America and the Caribbean

A focus on early childhood is crucial for any inclusive social development strategy. Notwithstanding legislative and scientific progress and new child-oriented social agendas and policies, children aged between 0 and 8 continue to be disproportionately affected by poverty and vulnerability. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated inequalities and has created urgent new needs in what was already a vulnerable context for a population that is at a developmentally critical stage of life. The consequences for the economy, care and education services, food insecurity, maternal mortality and immunization rates have had a direct impact on their well-being. Nearly four years on from the first case of COVID-19 in the region, it is vital to focus efforts on comprehensive early childhood development. This is an important and urgent agenda. Its importance lies in the fact that investment in this critical period of life is the best step that can be taken to prepare for a society’s future. The urgency derives from the risk that failure to act now may result in irreversible structural damage to the dynamics of intergenerational solidarity.

Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF LACRO)

Editorial committee
ECLAC:
Alberto Arenas de Mesa, Jorge Rodríguez and Daniela Trucco
UNICEF:
Maaike Arts, Liliana Carvajal, Yannig Dussart and Patricia Núñez
General coordination:
Daniela Huneeus, Raquel Santos Garcia and Daniela Trucco
Contributors:
Raquel Santos Garcia, Diana Hernández, Laura-Line Verguts and Patricia Núñez

Challenges
Issue 25, december 2023
ISSN electronic version 1816-7535

© United Nations, December 2023
All rights reserved

Contact:
uniceflac@unicef.org

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