Peru. 28/01/2011 With interesting Video
In a few weeks, UNICEF will release its report "Estado de la Niñez en el Perú", on the situation of children in Peru. Patacancha,
Children's chronic malnutrition levels remain high in the region of Cuzco, though the region took in $212.5 million in mining taxes in that period.
In that region, 45 percent of children under five are indigenous, and 32 percent of them are chronically malnourished, according to UNICEF.
In this South American country, Amerindians account for an estimated 45 percent of the population of nearly 30 million. "Mestizos" or people of mixed ethnic heritage (mainly indigenous and Spanish ancestry) represent roughly 37 percent of the population; an estimated 15 percent of the population is of European descent; and there are small black and Asian minorities.
"Although malnutrition has clearly been reduced, the gap between rural and urban, between the poor and the not-so-poor, between indigenous and non-indigenous people, is still wide," said Arias. "Rural indigenous children are still the hardest-hit."
In a few weeks, UNICEF will publish "Estado de la Niñez en el Perú", a new report on the situation of children in Peru.
"The gaps are large and have widened, especially in relation to the situation in indigenous populations," Mario Tavera, a UNICEF health officer in Lima and one of the authors of the report, told IPS.
"There has been progress in prevention of chronic malnutrition, but it has been limited," he said. "Overall, one out of seven children under five is chronically malnourished. But in the indigenous communities, one out of two children has chronic malnutrition."
When asked why mineral-rich regions that have benefited from millions of dollars in mining royalties have failed to considerably bring down malnutrition levels among indigenous children, Tavera said the question is not as simple as whether or not funds are available, but is based on a deeper underlying issue: what specific public policies have been put in place.
"Economic funds are a good foundation for improving social conditions of the population, especially among children, but the availability of funds or an increase in revenue does not guarantee an impact on social indicators," he said.
Epifanio Baca, a researcher with the Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana, a coalition of 11 local NGOs, said the problem must not only be blamed on the central government, but on regional and local governments as well.
"They are not fulfilling their duties, even though in many cases they have the necessary funds to do so," Baca told IPS.
"Regional and municipal authorities emphasise spending on infrastructure, which does help reduce chronic malnutrition," he said. "But it is also important to dedicate funds to programmes that, for example, are working to get the indigenous population to change some dietary and hygiene habits that have an influence on chronic malnutrition."
http://www.demotix.com/news/571713/malnutrition-high-among-perus-indigenous-children
In a few weeks, UNICEF will release its report "Estado de la Niñez en el Perú", on the situation of children in Peru. Patacancha,
Children's chronic malnutrition levels remain high in the region of Cuzco, though the region took in $212.5 million in mining taxes in that period.
In that region, 45 percent of children under five are indigenous, and 32 percent of them are chronically malnourished, according to UNICEF.
In this South American country, Amerindians account for an estimated 45 percent of the population of nearly 30 million. "Mestizos" or people of mixed ethnic heritage (mainly indigenous and Spanish ancestry) represent roughly 37 percent of the population; an estimated 15 percent of the population is of European descent; and there are small black and Asian minorities.
"Although malnutrition has clearly been reduced, the gap between rural and urban, between the poor and the not-so-poor, between indigenous and non-indigenous people, is still wide," said Arias. "Rural indigenous children are still the hardest-hit."
In a few weeks, UNICEF will publish "Estado de la Niñez en el Perú", a new report on the situation of children in Peru.
"The gaps are large and have widened, especially in relation to the situation in indigenous populations," Mario Tavera, a UNICEF health officer in Lima and one of the authors of the report, told IPS.
"There has been progress in prevention of chronic malnutrition, but it has been limited," he said. "Overall, one out of seven children under five is chronically malnourished. But in the indigenous communities, one out of two children has chronic malnutrition."
When asked why mineral-rich regions that have benefited from millions of dollars in mining royalties have failed to considerably bring down malnutrition levels among indigenous children, Tavera said the question is not as simple as whether or not funds are available, but is based on a deeper underlying issue: what specific public policies have been put in place.
"Economic funds are a good foundation for improving social conditions of the population, especially among children, but the availability of funds or an increase in revenue does not guarantee an impact on social indicators," he said.
Epifanio Baca, a researcher with the Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana, a coalition of 11 local NGOs, said the problem must not only be blamed on the central government, but on regional and local governments as well.
"They are not fulfilling their duties, even though in many cases they have the necessary funds to do so," Baca told IPS.
"Regional and municipal authorities emphasise spending on infrastructure, which does help reduce chronic malnutrition," he said. "But it is also important to dedicate funds to programmes that, for example, are working to get the indigenous population to change some dietary and hygiene habits that have an influence on chronic malnutrition."
http://www.demotix.com/news/571713/malnutrition-high-among-perus-indigenous-children
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