Child development unresolved matter in Mexico

Mexico City, Jan 17 (Prensa Latina) Children under theage of 18 make up 53.3 per cent of the poor in Mexico, showingthe lack of government resources for investing in thedevelopment of minors and youth.

According to figures from the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD), Mexico invested about USD24 billion in 2009 for programmes targeting children below 18years, a figure that put the country in last place among themember countries of the organisation.

There were no structural changes benefiting children in2010 and difficulties in access to basic rights, such aseducation are highly prevalent, said Juan Martin Perez,Executive Director of the Network for Children''s Rights inMexico.

Another factor affecting the age group was violence, withthe number of children and teenagers murdered in the last fouryears reaching 1,066, said Perez.

Perez also called attention to what his organisationdefines as a new method of child exploitation, alluding to howorganised crime uses children and teenagers to make money.

(Prensa Latina)