Isinlivi, Sigchos, Ecuador 🇪🇨
Ecuador has the highest proportion of child laborers in Latin America, involving nearly one-third of indigenous children.
The lack of a policy for school-age children is one of the issues that must be addressed as a priority to improve the situation. Poverty severely limits children's ability to thrive in education, housing, and health. Malnutrition is one of the biggest problems. Malnutrition persists despite all efforts to reduce poverty and programs to increase the educational and health status of families. In some rural areas, children live in poor households without access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Approximately 35% of rural residents lived in overcrowded houses.
Child trafficking is a particularly widespread and disturbing phenomenon in Ecuador. Although the government is trying to stop it, many children are still affected. These children are exploited for commercial or sexual purposes. Prostitution, pornography, forced begging and domestic servitude are some examples of what these children may face. Some parents even sell their children to traffickers, thus feeding an illegal and inhuman network. However, approximately 97% of children between the ages of 5 and 17 attend school, which represents a great progress in the fight against illiteracy, but also against child labor. By the way, did you know that one of the most dangerous jobs involving children is working on banana plantations, where they are exposed to harmful toxic products and have no means of protection.
Fortunately, in recent years, the situation for children has improved greatly throughout the country. However, much remains to be done, particularly in the areas of education, health, gender equality and living conditions in general.
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