Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—such as neglect, physical or emotional maltreatment, abuse, abandonment, or witnessing domestic violence—are more common than one might think.

Elena Arias Ortiz, Justin Dayhoff, Cynthia Hobbs 

When was the last time you associated “fun” with funding? It might sound unusual but making education finance engaging is a pressing challenge. How do we spark interest in a seemingly tedious administrative task?  

In Latin America and the Caribbean, socio-economic disparities affecting diverse population groups persist. For example, Indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants have historically been excluded from public policies and development programs. Similarly, the LGBTQ+ population has faced exclusion and discrimination despite increasing social acceptance in some countries in the region.

We tend to remember very little about what happens to us in the early years of life. And yet, it is during those years that the foundations of learning and our future trajectory are built,” said Diana Rodríguez, Special Advisor on Gender and Diversity to the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), during the opening of the event where we celebrated World Children’s Day. 

During the summer of 2012, on a visit to the Guna Yala indigenous region in northeastern Panama, we met Iranelda, a 16-year-old girl in labor whose baby was in a transverse position, requiring a cesarean section. She was ready to be transferred to Panama City to receive the necessary medical care. However, her family objected, trusting that the community’s healers, with their ancestral knowledge, could handle the situation. We were deeply moved to learn that Iranelda lost her baby.