Paraguay
Known as the 'Heart of America', Paraguay is a landlocked country bordered by Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. With a population of 6.2 million, it is one of the least densely populated countries in the Americas. 'Paraguay' is a Guaraní word, which means: 'River source of a Beach'. Most people in the country speak both the official languages - Spanish and Guaraní.
In 2002 Paraguay's economy was in serious trouble after years of stagnation and the impact of the financial crisis in neighbouring Argentina. Emergency loans, conditional on economic reforms being made, were negotiated with the International Monetary Fund. Since then Paraguay has experienced some economic growth however, the majority of the population has not benefited. Around 60% of Paraguayans live in poverty and 16% of the population live on less than $1 a day.
Paraguay has made some progress in the field of human rights, by signing up to a number of international treaties to improve the rights and status of women and to eradicate the worst forms of child labour. However services for women and children have remained poor, and many children are affected by life-threatening illnesses such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and influenza hemophilius.
Some of the reasons why Plan works in Paraguay
- 14% of children under five years old suffer from stunted growth due to poor nutrition
- Only 50% of children attend secondary school
- Almost 40% of the rural population does not have access to adequate drinking water
- A quarter of the population does not have access to adequate sanitation facilities
