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Mexico   Why children in Mexico need your helpIt's estimated that around 24 million people in Mexico live in extreme poverty. As almost half of the population are under 18 years of age, children are accountable for a large proportion of Mexico's poor.
Family instability is a major problem in Mexico as many children migrate to find work, often leaving their parents behind. A large number of young children work in labour intensive jobs, toiling for hours each day in dangerous conditions. Country factsThe United Mexican States is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and is the 14th largest in the world. Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1821, and a new constitution was drawn up in 1917 to ensure permanent democracy in the country. In 1929, The National Revolutionary Party was formed, which in 1946 was renamed as the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. This group dominated Mexican politics for 70 years until 1997 when elections saw an end to the one-party system. Mexico suffers from significant difficulties in terms of violent crime and drugs-related offences. A major anti-drug trafficking drive is current currently taking place in the western state of Michoacan.
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Mexico has experienced
some economic growth over the last decade, yet there continues to
be disparities between the rich and poor. Rural areas are often
neglected in terms of services and housing, and many cities are
ringed by sprawling shanty towns.
