FINDINGS
- Dependence on commodity exports is higher than before the pandemic and, in some cases, up to 4 times higher than in advanced economies.
- In all countries in the region, tax revenues as a percentage of the size of the economy are below the average in industrialised countries.
- On average, countries in the region have per capita public expenditure 4.8 times lower than in OECD countries.
- The social insurance coverage rate is below 17% of the population in more than half of the countries surveyed and is above 40% coverage in only one country.
- Out-of-pocket expenditures are those incurred directly by households to meet health needs. In the region, almost 30% of current expenditure on health is out-of-pocket expenditure, more than double that observed in high-income countries.
- 17% of women have borrowed for health and medical care services, almost 3 times more than women in high-income countries. Moreover, it has grown by 11 percentage points compared to 2017, almost twice as much as for men.
- On average, 59% of 10-year- old children in the region are unable to read and understand simple texts. World Bank projections estimate that this percentage could reach 80%, up from 50% before the pandemic.
- 38% of the population is moderately or severely food insecure, up from 28% in 2016. This is 4.8 times the level observed in high-income countries. The increase in food insecurity has an unequal impact on lower-income households.
- Countries in the region are vulnerable to the climate emergency and all countries show lower climate resilience relative to the OECD average.
- More than 20% of people live below the poverty line in all but two countries, and poverty rates remain higher than those observed before the pandemic.
- Women are over-represented in poverty. For every 100 men living in poverty, there are 123 women living in the same condition. This indicator has been rising steadily in recent years.
To see more findings, read our brief “Atlas of Vulnerability – The Pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean”
To see more findings, read our brief “The Course of the Vulnerabilities that Hinder Development in Latin America and the Caribbean”
To see more findings, read our brief “Vulnerability to Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Context of the Pandemic”
To see more findings, read our brief “Atlas of Vulnerabilities: Women in Latin America and the Caribbean Facing the Pandemic”
Collaborations
Read our brief “Characterization of socio-environmental conflicts in the Brazilian Amazon: an overview on climate and food vulnerability” (Only available in Spanish and Portuguese)