The pandemic that caused the Covid-19 in the world, it left 16 million more children and youth poor in Latin America and not only that, it also caused a 20-year setback in poverty indicators.
This was stated by Mónica Rubio, regional social policy adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
During a visit to Asunción, in Chile, Rubio assured that in 2018 there was a 38.2% incidence of poverty in the population between zero and 18 years of age, which rose to 46.5% due to the covid crisis.
According to estimates by Unicef and Save the Children, the pandemic of Covid-19 has been able to add 15.9 million children and adolescents to the ranks of poverty.
Another problem that occurred during the pandemic was a “fragmentation” in access to social protection in Latin America: programs and policies against unemployment, lack of education or that guarantee health.
The effect of this fragmentation is distinguished between those who have a formal job and those who work in the informal sector.said the UNICEF spokeswoman.
formal employment it provides protection with health insurance, family benefits and access to a retirement pension, something that informal workers do not have, according to information from EFE.
An example is that 60.8% of families in the region use their own economic resources to meet the material and food needs of children, adolescents and young people between 0 and 24 years of age.
Of this total, 17.9% is financed by the States, according to Unicef figures. In contrast, in countries like Finland, the State finances 49.1% of the consumption of children, adolescents and young people.
