Group items tagged

This article explores the roles of women in Latin America and the Caribbean. The article begins with the traditional view of women and their stereotypes. Then it moves into the feminist movements and how women are trying to recreate their identities. It discusses the conflict of feminism in a patriarchal society and the women of Latin America and the Caribbean can rise above the traditions and have equal rights. Women are trying to transform this exclusive society in to an inclusive one.

In the past decades, HIV infections are on the rise in Latin America and the Caribbean, however, Haiti, one of the countries hardest hit by the epidemic is witnessing falling infection rates. 2.2% about 190,000 Haitians are suffering from HIV/AIDS, according to UNAIDS. Infection rates are more slowly to decline in rural areas than in urban areas, but progress for battling the disease has been significant for a country with such high poverty levels. The percentage of pregnant women who have tested HIV positive has declined by half over the last ten years. The majority of the population, however, lacks proper sexual education. In countries where the prevalence rates are lower, the epidemic is concentrated among socially marginalized populations, such as gay males. Currently, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and Mexico have the largest epidemic due partly to the fact that they have larger populations. Since Latin American and Caribbean nations are not a singular culture, attention to the HIV epidemic has not been homogeneous.

To date, nearly 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region have enacted laws against domestic violence or have characterized the violence as a crime. Despite these laws, many women in Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be failed by the legal system. (October 2001)

This is an article discussing the lack of protection for women against acts of domestic violence in Latin America. The article addresses the difficulty for women to report these crimes due to lack of rights and enforcement of the laws.

Latin American leaders are trying to prevent HIV in Latin America and the Carribean through sexual education and health promotion programs in schools. Childhood and adolescent years are the most important years of developing, therefore it is imperative to provide education on sexuality. The Costa Rican Government signed an agreement allowing leaders to educate 15-25 year olds on HIV and how to use a condom.

Latin America Ministers pledged to provide broad sex education in schools. Having sexual education can give the children an accurate idea of how bad the issue of HIV/AIDS is, and how they could prevent it. The education will cover a broad range of issues such as how HIV is transmitted and how to use a condom. The governments in Latin America and Caribbean are showing huge leadership in this field to provide the children and adolescents will information that will help this growing epidemic.

This article talks about the role of alcohol and substance abuse and its affects on Latin America and the Caribbean. Social, political, religious beliefs are all topics of this article as it talks about the problems and solutions of this important issue.

This is article is especially relevant to the discussion we had in class earlier today about sex education in Latin America. At the beginning of August, Heath and Education ministers from different Latin American countries, joined together and discussed the notion of sexual education. They concluded that providing comprehensive sexual education courses throughout schools, will actually serve as prevention towards HIV/AIDS.

The region including Latin America and the Caribbean is the area with the most homophobic crimes committed in recent years. Countries including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia have had an unfortunate recent history of homophobic crimes. This article, from ipsnews.net., describes how IDAHO (the International Day Against Homophobia Committee) is asking for an international day against homophobia. They chose May 17th as the day of recognition, because on May 17, 1990, homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organization's list of mental disorders. In the past few years, many Latin American countries have developed slogans and media campaigns against homophobia and the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Many activist groups in Latin America (and worldwide) are vying for political action and equal rights laws.

Domingo Metro Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is creating a Metro system that has all the Dominicans talking. So far, there aren't any trains; rails; or turnstiles in place it is just a hole in the ground. They have a construction deadline of early next year. The only other subways system in the Caribbean is in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Santo Domingo subway will have up to nine miles of tracks. This subways system would be a great way to un-clog the streets from cars, busses and horse carts as well as give them a closer connection to New York (their inspiration).

This website relates to our course in that it outlines and explains major issues in Latin America that the United States has taken an interest in and are helping financially. This particular page of usaid.gov discusses contraceptive security in relation to HIV/AIDS in different countries.

This article discusses how Latin America has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world, and how women's organizations continue to fight for the right to safe and legal abortion. It is believed that to a certain extent, religion has influenced the criminalization of abortion. However, the women's movement in the region has made progress towards attaining the right to legal abortion.

Guatemala is experiencing a drastic inflation in necessary survival items such as food, housing, and clothing. This inflation concerns the entire country, especially the poor and children under five. In May of 2008, The Regional Ministerial Conference met "Towards the Eradication of Child Undernutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean" in Chile. The meeting hoped to find methods of preventing and eradicating child undernutrition in the region, especially under the inflated circumstances. Thousands of Guatemalan families are food insecure, and therefore many suffer from malnutrition. This article discusses the meeting last May; their goals, initiatives, and decisions.

The article discusses how there are plans to re-open a military base in the town of Ixcán in order to build a highway that will stretch 330 km across north-central Guatemala to Honduras and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The purpose of the highway is to protect foreign investment. However, there is widespread resistance amongst the iindigenous peoples of Ixcán due to the 102 massacres committed between 1979 and 1988 in the area.

Many countries-Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, and Cuba-are considering it mandatory to teach sexual education in primary schools. Many believe that the exclusion of sexual education has impacted the number of cases of sexual abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and teenage pregnancies. The goal is to bring awareness to these issues in hopes of decreasing the rates and to teach children how to make choices responsibly.

Almost all of Latin America is required to provide sexual education classes for their students, however, these laws are widely ignored. Many children do not receive the proper knowledge about sex until the age of 12 or 13, even though a study conducted in Cuba shows that this is the age children are becoming sexual active. Without the knowledge of the issues of sex it leads to an increase in sexual abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and many abandoned babies. The article also states that children in Argentina do not receive sexual education at all because of the conservative sectors in the area. Many committees and groups are lobbying to help make sexual education more prevalent in students education.

This article discusses the role of sexual education and how it affects the prevention of STDs, unplanned pregnancies, sexual abuse, and HIV/AIDS. Many countries in Latin America have laws stating that sexual education must be taught at schools, however in many of these countries this is not happening. Studies have shown that because these children are not receiving sexual education there are higher rates of unplanned pregnancy, STDs, sexual assault, and earlier ages of engaging in dangerous sexual activities.

By giving women the tools and knowledge about their reproductive rights and options for contraception, abortions, and knowledge about diseases, this Council attempts to empower them through increased safety and awareness of women's health services.

This article evaluates the current violent, political situation in Honduras. In order to regain the strength of the country, the Latin America and the Caribbean program department of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has been working to design programs that aim to bring justice and hope back the people of Honduras. This article demonstrates ways in which people can help pray for Honduras and show their support.

This source looks at how issues of violence and crime have effected the development of Latin American societies.