Social issues facing Matagalpa's rural communities:
causes and consequences

 

Problem	Causes	Consequences
1. Poverty / unemployment / families without income / malnutrition	Structural adjustment programmes (International Monetary Fund) No credit policies Bank failures Low coffee export prices No access to education Politicised employment policies Inertia / lack of initiative Unjust social structures	Roadside encampments of destitute families (plantones) Child labour Sexual exploitation Over-exploitation / destruction of the natural environment Malnutrition: acute, chronic and global Hunger Crime Violence
2. Violence (social, institutional, domestic, school and community)	Abuse of power / adultism Traditional gender roles  Unemployment: families without income Lack of educational opportunities Learnt culture of "machismo", patriarchy Lack of knowledge and information Traditional child-rearing practices Alcohol, drugs Unjust and unequal social structures	Reproduction of gender roles Moral decay Low self-esteem Sexual abuse Physical injuries, trauma Psychological injuries, mental breakdown, psychopathology Disintegration of families, broken homes Poor school performance School desertion.
3. Lack of access to education	Lack of teachers / school places Lack of incentives Inadequate education budget Education policies do not take account of rural needs Inadequate infrastructure Government education plan is not based on rural reality.	No alternative to agricultural or domestic labour No hope for the future Underdevelopment: personal, community and national Reproduction of traditional roles, conformity No access to decent jobs / better wages Functional illiteracy.
4. Child labour	International market forces, globalisation. Foreign debt Environmental disasters. Cultural tradition Social inequality. Family problems Poverty Violence and conflict in the home Illness, disability or death in the family No access to schools, or lack of resources to enable children to attend. Parents who believe that schooling serves no useful purpose.	Exposure to harmful chemicals Physical and sexual abuse Damage to health and physical development: work-related chronic illnesses, growth deficit, bone deformities, sight loss, mutilation. Low academic achievement, school desertion. Damage to educational and intellectual development No access to the benefits of education: No possibility of getting a better job and improving their living conditions. No possibility of contributing to a better future for their family, community and society. Low self-esteem, depression, personality disorders, aggression, trauma.
5. Lack of play and recreation opportunities	Child labour Generational cultural patterns Lack of resources for recreation and play facilities Unawareness of the importance of play and recreation for human development. Adultism.	Children assume adult roles Social spaces undervalued Low self-esteem Shyness, isolation, lack of social skills Passivity, conformity Lack of physical development: gross motor skills, fine motor skills etc.
6. Destruction of social fabric	Poor communication within families. Lack of education Education undervalued The economic situation Unemployment	Abandonment of families. Illiteracy Crime Drug addiction Early pregnancies.
7. Environmental deterioration	Lack of environmental awareness Poor habits of environmental care Lack of finance for environmental conservation Environmental legislation ignored or violated Chemical-based agriculture Deforestation Corruption	Environmental disequilibrium: climate change and drought Poor agricultural production Unemployment Increasing use of agrochemicals Destruction of biodiversity.

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