EPN discloses prosperity deal
Peña Nieto’s Prospera to replace Oportunidades
BY LILLIAN REYES
The News
ECATEPEC, State of Mexico – President Enrique Peña Nieto said that economic growth is the force and most important pillar to fight poverty and prevent social gaps.
The Program for the Development of Human Prosperity (Prospera) is replacing the Program for the Development of Human Opportunities (Oportunidades), the latter was founded in 2002 as a government welfare program after changing from the Progresa program, launched in 1997.
At the presentation of the Prospera program, Peña Nieto said that economic growth creates more and better jobs, which is why the federal government has emphasized it, however, economic growth does not always include socio-economically disadvantaged people and social policies are needed to change this situation.
The president said that Prospera will provide educational, health, nutritional and economic support to those who need it the most. It will also generate conditions allowing Mexicans to find jobs or be included in production activities giving them autonomy and economic independence.
Prospera will also benefit 6 million affiliated members by granting them scholarships for university degrees of 5,000 pesos ($380) each and expanding the Popular Insurance basic package from 13 to 27 services, including full immunization schedules covering the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV). It will also reinforce family planning programs aimed at preventing teenage pregnancies and distributing fortified milk for children who are being breastfed.
Prospera will have a financial inclusion component for women that will organize money management workshops, offer loans with preferential rates at less than 10 percent and give them access to savings accounts and life insurance. It will also give their children priority in the National Employment Service and in scholarship programs for professional training.
“This is how we are creating, through reforms, a social bridge and economic dynamism,” Peña Nieto said. “Mexico is protecting 4.7 million women and 3,500 children are insured.”
The president said that the National Council for Social Development Evaluation (Coneval) will continually assess Prospera’s progress since the Oportunidades program did not meet the goal of reducing poverty in Mexico during its 17 years of duration.
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