[REVISION HISTORY]

Uruguay child welfare and poverty policy

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-13 17:52 UTC → 2026-08-20 09:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In Uruguay, the government has moved to address child poverty through significant budgetary shifts. Initially, officials announced plans for a Unified Child and Adolescent Allowance, intended to add approximately US$1.26 billion to existing support programs by 2027. This initiative aimed to reduce poverty among children under three by an estimated 25%. Subsequent developments highlighted the severity of the issue, with Minister of Economy and Finance Gabriel Oddone describing child poverty as a ‘time bomb’ for social coexistence. Data indicated that approximately 29.1% of children under six live below the poverty line, a rate significantly higher than the general population poverty rate of 16.6% reported in 2025. To combat these figures, the government proposed strengthening the childhood transfer system via the Accountability Bill, which included a budget increase of 31 million dollars. However, this proposal faced opposition from parliamentary parties. Recent data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) has revealed a gap between official metrics and public perception. While the official poverty rate remains 16.6%, a subjective measurement indicates that 31.3% of Uruguayans perceive themselves as poor. Marcelo Bisogno, the technical director of the INE, noted that 20.7% of the population does not meet official income-based poverty criteria but still feels poor. Amidst these findings, Minister Oddone has emphasized that one-third of children in the country live in poverty. He has advocated for increased investment in child welfare and security, including the creation of 300 new police positions, to maintain social stability and attract investment.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.