For this study, CARE undertook a region-wide analysis within the Latin America/Caribbean region to explore:
- The determinants of poverty in the region based on exploring the Millennium Development Goals within each country.
- CARE’s program strategies based on the results of poverty analyses and how to increase capacity to design programs with high potential of addressing UCPs.
- What current programs were well positioned to address UCPs, and reviewing CARE’s role.
This process was designed to enhance joint learning with partners about the determinants of poverty and strategies with a high potential for impact.
The study engaged literature review and conducted 65 interviews in 7 countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and four countries in Central America). Teams interviewed representatives of women’s movements, universities, policy makers and partners to explore for each MDG:
What are the obstacles for reaching Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in country X? What are the factors that will prevent the country from reaching these goals?
In Central America, this process was deepened through Systems Logic Mapping. Further, the region commissioned a paper by a leading figure in social movements within the region, in order to further inform the region's understanding of gender inequity, successful strategies for change as well as CARE's role.
Based on these studies, across the 7 countries, the key causes of poverty identified were:
- Discrimination based on gender, ethnic origin and race (social position).
- Poor and poor implementation of public policies (enabling environment).
- Poor participation of citizens in decision making processes; apathy of many sectors of the population for engaging in processes (social position).
- An economic model that excludes and not sustainable (enabling environment)
- Dependency on foreign financial and economic interests (enabling environment).
- A private sector that does not take adequately assume social and environmental responsibility and which is not controlled and regulated (enabling environment).
- Poor policies and gender discrimination were highlighted in the analysis.