"This report reviews the effectiveness of early childhood stimulation interventions in developing countries. The report aims to answer the questions: What works in terms of early stimulation for young children in developing countries? For whom and under what conditions do these programs work and why do they work. The report is divided into several sections. Firstly, a brief discussion of the importance of early stimulation for young children in developing countries is provided. Secondly, the methods used to identify and characterize studies are provided and a review of randomized or quasi-experimental trials is presented. Thirdly, a review of the evidence for who benefits most from early interventions is presented followed by a review of program characteristics that affect the success of interventions and an examination of potential mechanisms through which interventions achieve their effects. Finally, recommendations for practice and future research are provided"
IDB working paper series
This publication addresses the issues of health problems and malnutrition in Bolivia. Specifically, it analyses the association between a bidimensional measure of child heath (composed of height an weight scores) and a set of child nutrition determinants related to physical and cultual contexts, the mother's characteristics, household assets and access to public services. A major finding is that geogrpahical and cultural variables are significant determinants of nutritional status and that the role of the mother's anthropometrical characteristics is substantial. This publication is aimed at quite a technical audience, and all the information is qualified by detailed statistics. Section 4.2 focuses particularly on cultural variables and how this affects nutrition in young children
This article is concerned with the difficulties in estimating the prevalence of, and economic costs connected to, disability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Economic consequences of disability are high and largely under-estimated. A common definition must be agreed upon before disability and its links to other labour variables can be analysed, and increased resources are key to gathering the data needed for this analysis
This paper describes the current situation of inclusive education in the Americas. It pays special attention to the situation of disabled children in rural areas. Only a small proportion (between 1% and 10%) of the children with special needs in the Americas have access to schooling. Almost none of these children now have the opportunity to attend a regular community school with their non-disabled peers.
The paper states that education systems for all children can be created with adequate funding targeted at community schools. Segregation and exclusion has failed. Inclusion and the good educational practice that it offers hope to a region that needs to ensure educational equity and participation by all
This study is an attempt to review the current status of inclusive disability policies, statistics, and strategies in Latin America and Caribbean. It focuses on frameworks, UN commitment, existing knowledge about and the costs of disability.
The study recommends the development of disability policies and strategies that take poverty into account