Nearly 70 per cent of Ecuador's 4.8 million children live in poverty according to information published by UNICEF.

Large disparities between rich and poor are a persistent fact of life in Ecuador. Indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian children are more likely to grow up in poverty and face difficulties in access to education. Concerted government efforts to address disparities have shown some significant results, but with much of its budget earmarked for debt repayment, it is difficult for Ecuador to fund levels of social spending that might improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable families.