Uruguay, Argentina Top Social Inclusion Index
Uruguay, Argentina Top Social Inclusion Index
Uruguay topped Americas Quarterly Social Inclusion Index 2014 for the second consecutive year meanwhile Argentina tied second with Costa Rica, and Chile rounded out the top five.
When it comes to civil rights and GDP growth, chances are the Cono Sur or Southern Cone countries have got most beat. Uruguay topped Americas Quarterly’s 2014 Social Inclusion Index for the second year in a row, Argentina tied for second (with Costa Rica) and Chile rounded out the top five.
The index, which was released Wednesday, aims to provide a comprehensive approach to social inclusion, a term that refers to the sway a country’s citizens gain via economic growth, political participation, civil rights and equal access to services and employment.
The index, which is in its third iteration, is based on 21 variables compiled by the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas (AS/COA) to rank 17 countries, including Latin America and the United States. The evaluation factored in national poverty rights, school enrollment and access to housing by race and gender.
“What stands clear is that the issue of social inclusion—unlike GDP growth and even increases in income—is difficult to change in the short term. It is deeply embedded in historical, structural, and even attitudinal conditions," said Christopher Sabatini, AS/COA Senior Director of Policy and Americas QuarterlyEditor-in-Chief, in a statement tied to the index’s release.
Despite Uruguay's strong performance, the index highlighted some areas where the government could improve, in particular the need to raise spending on education....
