Social Development and Public Governance > Social Development > Children and Youth
Breaking the Poverty Cycle: Investing in Early Childhood
(03/99, En, Es)
Prepared for a seminar held at the Bank's 1999 annual meetings, this publication outlines the problems of children in poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean, the role of investments in early childhood care and development, and the IDB's work in this area. These investments are among the best we can make to improve the life prospects of disadvantaged children. In addition to improving their health and school readiness, investments in early childhood combat other social ills afflicting the region, ranging from domestic violence and juvenile delinquency to teenage pregnancy. Investing in early childhood can play a major role in breaking the tragic cycle of transmission of poverty from one generation to another. The Bank is committed to helping disadvantaged children. Its early efforts in this area, how they have evolved over the years, and emerging approaches to early childhood development are described in this document
For related information, go to Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty
Last updated: 03/21/07
