News stories by Raúl Pierri

MONTEVIDEO, Aug 16 (IPS) - Representatives of 38 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean meeting this week in the Uruguayan capital urged governments in the region to consider modifying their laws on abortion, which are among the most restrictive in the world.

MONTEVIDEO, Aug 15 (IPS) - Latin America and the Caribbean cannot hope to have truly advanced, progressive policies in sexual and reproductive health as long as women do not have the right to decide to interrupt their pregnancy, says Mariela Castro.

MONTEVIDEO, Aug 13 (IPS) - Shortcomings in the educational system in Latin America and the Caribbean fuel inequalities that remain hurdles to access to the labour market and safe sex for a large part of the region's youth.

MONTEVIDEO, Apr 11 (IPS) - Activists in Uruguay hope the passage of the "Equal Marriage Law" Wednesday will help bring about recognition that society is heterogeneous.

PUNTA DEL ESTE, Uruguay, Nov 01 (IPS) - The countries of the developing South should remove the barriers still faced by small-scale farmers, because smallholders play a key role in economic growth, says Carlos Seré, the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) chief development strategist.

MONTEVIDEO, Oct 18 (IPS) - The Uruguayan Congress passed a law Wednesday decriminalising abortion, making it the second country in Latin America where abortion is legal in cases other than rape, incest, malformation of the fetus or danger to the mother’s life.

But activists who backed the bill are not pleased with the modifications introduced in the final version.

PUNTA DEL ESTE, Uruguay, Oct 11 (IPS) - Although it admits that it cannot be a long-term solution, Washington insists on strengthening the armed forces in Latin America, to confront “new threats,” including citizen insecurity. But activists argue that it is only another means of maintaining control over the region.

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean were able to cushion the jolt of the global economic and financial crisis by means of anti-cyclical policies, but they need to remain vigilant and pay attention to social inequality, their most vulnerable flank.

The leaders of South America's Mercosur trade bloc decided to set up a committee to facilitate the incorporation of new members, adopt a mechanism to defend democracy in case of a coup, and ban vessels from the Malvinas/Falkland Islands from docking in member countries' ports.

Reinventing the United Nations is crucial to protect the poorest inhabitants of the planet, at a time when the global economic crisis, the effects of climate change, and food insecurity are undermining development efforts.