El director de UNIC Buenos Aires, disertó para los alumnos de Ciencia Política.
On 17 April, UNIC Buenos Aires Director, David Smith gave a special lecture to the students of political science and international relations at Universidad de Palermo, one of the leading private universities in Argentina. Mr. Smith presented a general overview of the work the UN is doing in Latin America, with a special focus on the UN´s role in the reconstruction of Haiti.
He also highlighted the many accomplishment the region has achieved in the last 20 years in its fight against poverty. However, he also noted that Latin America remains as the most unequal region of the planet. Poverty has been reduced to the lowest levels in three decades. Child mortality has dropped significantly. But Latin America and the Caribbean remains the most unequal region in the world—and also the most violent.", he said.
According to a recent report by UNDP, from 2000-2010, homicide rates- while declining in most regions worldwide - rose by 11 percent across the region. In countries with data for 1980-90, robberies have almost tripled over the last 25 years. One in 10 robberies involves violence, usually with firearms. On a typical day in Latin America, 460 people are victims of sexual violence, usually women.
However, the region has also been praised by the UN as an example of democratic transitions and nuclear free-zones, as stated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier this year: "In the wake of the Arab Spring, the UN has provided a space for several countries of the Americas to share their experiences on democratic transitions with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. We can and should build on this important work.”
A Q&A session follow the lecture, with student's questions ranging from human trafficking to world peace.
