A view of one favela and the metropolitan area of Asuncion on September 29, 2016 in Asuncion, Paraguay. Asuncion is one of the oldest cities in South America and the longest continually inhabited area in the Rio de la Plata Basin; for this reason that it is known as "Mother of Cities". Photo Credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Society ParaguaySustained Growth Lifts Millions Out of Poverty
Paraguay has reduced poverty from over 50% to 16%, showing how job creation and steady economic growth can significantly improve living standards.
“Economic growth improves lives when people are included through jobs and rising incomes,” said Susana Cordeiro Guerra, regional director at the World Bank.
Over two decades, around one-third of the population moved out of poverty, with 300,000 people rising above the poverty line in the past two years alone. The country’s economy grew by nearly 5% annually, driven by investments in infrastructure, business-friendly reforms, and strong labour markets, which increased incomes, especially for lower-income groups. Programmes such as feeding more than one million schoolchildren and expanding access to energy and transport have supported inclusive growth, demonstrating how coordinated policies can deliver long-term poverty reduction and economic resilience.
