Latin American nations implement diverse child welfare and protection reforms

Various Latin American nations are addressing child welfare and protection through new legislative and social initiatives.

In Chile, President José Antonio Kast and Minister María Jesús Wulf launched the ‘Plan Chile Cuida a los Niños’ (2026-2030). This roadmap aims to strengthen state capacity to prevent vulnerabilities and support families. The plan responds to a 42% increase in demand at Local Children's Offices and includes the ‘Positive Parenting’ program to assist families. Additionally, the Senate recently suspended discussions on the Universal Daycare project following protests from labor unions.

In Ecuador, the National Assembly suspended a vote on reforms to the Children's Code. The primary point of contention is a proposal to extend maternity leave from 12 to 24 weeks, which faces opposition from political blocs concerned about potential impacts on female employment.

In Guatemala, the National Adoption Council (CNA) is promoting ‘priority adoption’ to help children who face greater difficulties finding families, such as adolescents, sibling groups, and children with disabilities. Currently, 95% of interested adopters prefer newborns without health issues.

In Nicaragua, the Ministry of the Family reported various protection and accompaniment actions, including the payment of child support pensions and managing international child recovery cases.

In Argentina, adoption rates have seen an 80% decline in recent years, with a persistent preference among applicants for younger children over the older children and sibling groups that make up the majority of those in care.