In this report, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights examines inequality, social exclusion, and violence in the Americas, Latin America and the Caribbean.

This report shows that the conditions in which children and adolescents live, in contexts where criminal groups are present and there is limited institutional presence of the State, can be daunting. Many of them are victim to violence, abuse, and negligence in their homes, communities, and schools, either at the hands of adults, peers, or even the police. The quality of education is poor and there are many barriers to accessing secondary education, work opportunities, and decent employment. This lack of real opportunities for adolescents to develop an independent life plan, added to the challenges for the effective enjoyment of their rights, stems from structural social and economic exclusion that the government has not been able to reverse in these communities. As a result, inequality, rights violations, the undermining of State institutions, crime, and violence spread.

The Commission concludes this report with a series of general recommendations for local, national, and regional parties to implement in order to promote security and human rights and the rights of children.