Afro-descendants in Latin America

One in four Latin Americans identify themselves as people of African descent. They are one of the largest, yet least visible minorities in the region, comprising over 133 million people, the majority living in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela.

Out of the total, 34 million are of school age and face inequalities in school. They achieve poorer learning outcomes and are more likely to drop out of the education system compared to their non-Afro-descendant peers.

Education is one of the best tools to break the cycle of chronic poverty that affects a large part of these households. However, even when they have access to education, they often do not benefit from the same quality, knowledge, skills, and economic gains that should be generated afterwards.

A new report analyzes what happens in classrooms and in textbooks, and points out that discriminatory representations of Afro-descendants in textbooks and classroom dynamics could contribute to high dropout rates, limiting their options and future employment opportunities.

Key facts

The report "Afro-descendants in Latin America" highlights that Afro-descendants in Latin America are 2.5 times more likely to live in conditions of chronic poverty. Even with the same level of education and experience, they earn less than their non-Afro-descendant counterparts for the same type of work in all countries.

In the new study "Afro-descendant Inclusion in Education: An Anti-Racist Agenda for Latin America," it is emphasized that discrimination in the classroom is one of the first forms of exclusion that thousands of Afro-descendant children and youth face in Latin America. The analysis highlights that Afro-descendants achieve poorer learning outcomes, are more likely to drop out of the education system early, have limited access to digital technologies, and have much lower returns in the labor market for the years invested in education.

Multimedia

The following are some of the contents generated by the World Bank with the voices, views and experiences of Afro-descendant communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.