Social Issues

You may have heard of organizations like Doctors Without Borders or Engineers Without Borders but a newer organization out of Toronto is putting an artistic spin on this concept. Photographers Without Borders is a not-for-profit that aims to capture the stories of people and charities that are making the world a better place. “A lot...
By Angela Rhodes I’ve barely stepped off the plane when the stories about the Valle de la Longevidad — Valley of Longevity — start. My cabdriver asks what I’m doing in this small town in southern Ecuador, and I tell him I’m in search of the legendary old people of Vilcabamba. The cabbie brightens. “My...
Women’s groups in Latin America are fighting back against the catcalls and other forms of sexual harassment that they are forced to deal with on a daily basis. Their weapon? A series of videos. Natalia Málaga, a former volleyball player who now coaches the Peruvian national women’s team, is the face of the “Sílbale a...
By Alyson Penn “Tell me, what is your favorite brand of watches? Your favorite brand of chocolate? Your favorite brand of champagne?” “Now, what is your favorite brand of roses?” It is with these questions that Alejandro Henao piqued my interest when introducing me to Sisaluna, his direct-order Ecuadorian rose company, which officially launched in...
By Américo Mendoza-Mori There are several stereotypes about Quechua. Is it a dead language? No, there are an estimated six to eight million speakers in South America, mostly in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. A simple language? You cannot imagine the suffixes this language contains. That it’s limited to agriculture, folk songs and shamanic sessions? No,...
By Patricia Rey Mallén Although Latin America is one of the fastest growing areas in the world, and unemployment remains relatively low, almost half of the population works informally, or “off the books.” According to a report by the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO), 47.7 percent of Latin Americans have an informal job. This...
Ecuador’s Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) said Wednesday that its campaign ‘Give Dignity’ has been reduced street begging in Ecuador by 80% since 2008. According to Cecilia Tamayo, MIES deputy director, the campaign has focused on child begging, which was made illegal by a 2009 law. Prior to that, Tamayo said that adults...
According to an organization that represents more than 100 driving schools in Ecuador, amendments to the national traffic law passed by the National Assembly and awaiting approval by President Rafael Correa, could affect the livelihoods of 40,000 employees and their families. Gorky Obando, who heads the national association, also claims that the elimination of mandatory...
President Rafael Correa says that a proposal to include housewives and househusbands in the country’s social security program is simply a reflection of a changing world. “What we are doing is recognizing the legitimacy of work that is done in the home,” he said last week at rally in Guayaquil. “It is time that we...
When happiness is studied, Latin America always manages to make it to the forefront. Last year, a survey by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, titled the 2013 World Happiness Report, found that Latin America made some major improvements in the department of happiness and has the most potential to become the happiest region...
By Alan Gomez As news of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision Monday to allow gay marriages to proceed in up to 30 states filtered down to Latin America this week, Danilo Perez reacted with a question: What took so long? "You're telling me that we've been more progressive and liberal than the United States and...
By Hannah Ewens and Elizabeth Roberts A survey completed by almost 14,000 expatriates of all nationalities, which focused on topics such as quality of life, work, romance and leisure, showed Ecuador was the overall winner. The country had the highest result of all countries for the ease of making friends. Over eight in 10 found...

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The Cuenca Dispatch

Week of March 24

“They are pressuring me to resign so they can remove me from office,” denounced Verónica Abad, Vice President of the Republic.

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Ecuador Navigates Economic Challenges with IMF Agreement Looming.

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“Since when does thinking differently mean being a traitor?” Pierina Correa questions in reference to the Tourism Law.

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