ABSTRACT
Latin American nations face enormous challenges. Most people in the region lack access to clean water, adequate nutrition, basic health care, and decent education. Poverty levels are especially high for women who continue to earn less income and have fewer productive resources than men. The region is also grappling with severe environmental problems as air and water pollution worsens each year, fragile soils are further degraded, and tropical rainforests are cleared at an accelerating pace.
