During the presentation of its annual report on children, UNICEF specified that in 2022 cooperation with Costa Rica reached 5.6 million dollars, and considered that an expansion took place in aspects such as the “Aprendo Pura Vida” digital platform and the establishment of 37 Safe Spaces. However, it stressed that great challenges to achieve the well-being and development of children persist, especially in 25 cantons of Costa Rica.

The UNICEF representative in Costa Rica, Patricia Portela, stated that in 2022 the entity promoted digitization with new technological platforms such as Aprendo Pura Vida as part of the acceleration to meet the Development Goals. It also provided humanitarian assistance and dignified comprehensive care to more than 15,000 migrant children and their families, providing safe spaces, with the objective that there may be no migrant children on the streets.

Portela also mentioned the determined strengthening of territorial actions without losing national focus and the joint work of UN agencies for the development of innovative financing tools and budgets based on results.

According to the Fund, UNICEF Costa Rica achieved an exponential increase in the projection of its work through social networks and the media, especially with Covid-19 prevention campaigns, reaching millions of people nationally and internationally. The report assures that despite the efforts and coordinated work, great challenges to ensure that no infant is left behind, persist.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, about 571,000 young children are living in poverty, the most affected being those of zero to five years old.

The 10 cantons with the lowest well-being for children are Corredores, Garabito, Osa, Turrialba, Upala, Buenos Aires, La Cruz, Los Chiles, Talamanca and Coto Brus, out of a group of 25 cantons, located mainly in coastal and border areas.

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