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Costa Rica sees a decrease in poverty, reaching its lowest point in recent years at 15.2%! This means around 286,000 households and 915,000 people are experiencing poverty, a number that fluctuates due to a dynamic threshold.

What defines poverty? It's based on a monetary amount: 127,000 colones for urban households and 98,000 for rural ones. Even a small difference can mean the difference between being classified as poor or not.



Those in informal jobs or with variable incomes are most vulnerable to falling back into poverty. Recent cuts in social investment, affecting education, health, and programs like Encina and the rural care network’s non-contributory benefits, could have long-term consequences.

These state-provided monetary transfers are crucial for many families. Losing access to these benefits without stable employment can easily lead to re-entering poverty. The focus is shifting towards proactive strategies to reduce poverty, equipping families with tools for self-sufficiency, while continuing to support vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and those with terminal illnesses.

The concern is that reduced social investment today will manifest its effects in the coming years, as the benefits of initiatives like scholarships take a decade or more to materialize. As we mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17th, these trends in poverty reduction and social investment are critical to consider.

#PobrezaCostaRica #InversionSocial #DesarrolloSostenible #ErradicacionPobreza