News stories by Marcela Valente, page 16

Food shortages may be causing hunger in the developing world, but the large Latin American agricultural countries that belong to the Group of 20 (G20) see the situation as an opportunity to exploit.

Avoiding the costs of traditional microcredit models, remote communities in the La Puna high plateau region in northwest Argentina have launched a successful loan programme that enables them to meet extraordinary expenses such as weaving material, school supplies or medicine.

'If I had only known that when I was young,' or 'if they had only told me' are just some of the statements made by many women who seek assistance at the centre for victims of gender violence set up by the local government in a town on the outskirts of the Argentine capital.

The countries of Latin America are working slowly to overcome barriers in the fight against the often brutal violence suffered by children and adolescents in their homes, schools, workplaces or juvenile detention centres.

'This book has not been lost. It has no owner; it is part of the Argentine Free Book Movement, and it was left in this place so that you would find it.'

In many cases, cancer is preventable, treatable and curable if detected on time. But the fate of millions of women with the disease varies enormously, depending on where they live.

Argentina's president is a woman, Cristina Fernández, and the country has one of the highest percentages of women lawmakers in the world. But women also have other leadership roles, outside the political system.

Despite the fast growth of the Argentine economy, unemployment remains a tough nut to crack. While many areas face a dearth of skilled workers, a large number of unskilled workers find it impossible to land a job.

Economic growth in Latin America is driving the expansion of corporations from this region throughout the world — even in countries of the industrialised North that formerly seemed out-of-reach.

Argentina has begun the process of closing down psychiatric hospitals and integrating mentally ill people into the community, like its South American neighbours Brazil and Chile.