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Mexico   Why children in Mexico need your helpAround 12 million people in Mexico live on less than the equivalent of US$2 per day. As more than a third of the population is 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 factsMexico is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and is the 14th largest in the world. The country 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.
