2024-10-01 05:52:31
According to Dane, the difference is abysmal compared to rural areas, where only 11.4% of mothers have access to this level of education.
DIARIO DEL HUILA, REPORT
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) presented its most recent report on vital statistics in Colombia, which covers the period between January and July 2024. This analysis not only details the evolution of births and deaths, but also highlights deep inequalities between urban and rural areas of the country, both in terms of education and access to health services.
One of the most relevant data in the report is the increase in the educational level of Colombian mothers in the last decade. Between 2015 and 2024, significant growth was recorded in access to higher education for mothers in most departments of the country. This educational advancement reflects continuous efforts to improve the quality of life of women and their families, promoting greater opportunities for their personal and professional development. However, the results are not homogeneous throughout the national territory. The department of Chocó, one of the most historically disadvantaged regions, did not show significant progress in this aspect, which highlights the educational inequalities that persist, especially in the less developed areas of the country.
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“El Atlántico is the department with the greatest increase in the participation of births to mothers with higher education, going from 26.8% in 2015 to 42.8% in 2024,” Dane reported. This data reflects considerable progress in access to education in that region, probably driven by public policies focused on improving educational infrastructure and financial support programs for women. However, at the national level, the picture remains uneven. The majority of mothers in Colombia still cannot access university or postgraduate training. Most of them reach only secondary or technical education levels, which represents a significant challenge in terms of equity and social mobility.
The disparity is even more marked when comparing urban and rural areas. According to the report, 38.1% of births in urban areas in 2024 were to mothers with some level of higher education, from professional technical to postgraduate. In contrast, only 11.4% of mothers in rural areas have this level of education, which shows the limitations of access to quality education in these remote regions. This gap also affects parents, although to a lesser extent: in urban areas, 30.9% of parents have some level of higher education, compared to a mere 7.9% in rural areas. This difference not only highlights the lack of access to higher education in rural areas, but also reflects the economic and geographical difficulties that prevent many families from accessing an education that allows them to improve their quality of life.
Another highlight in the report is the decrease in the number of births during 2024, marking a historical minimum in the last decade. Between January and July, approximately 255,000 births were registered in Colombia, which represents a drop of 15.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. According to Piedad Urdinola, director of Dane, this is the lowest volume of births in the first seven months of each year in the last decade, with 45,819 fewer births than in 2023. This trend has raised questions about social, economic and cultural factors that could be influencing the decision of Colombian families to have fewer children. Growing economic uncertainty, rising cost of living, and lack of job stability could be some of the reasons behind this notable decline in birth rates.
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Regarding deaths, the Dane report also revealed worrying data on the main causes of mortality in the country. Diarrheal and intestinal diseases continue to be a recurring cause of death, especially in regions with problems of access to drinking water and basic sanitation. This data reflects the need to improve health infrastructure conditions, especially in rural areas and marginalized urban areas. Furthermore, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases continue to be the main causes of death in Colombia, with 16.8% and 6.1% of deaths, respectively. These results highlight the importance of continuing to invest in chronic disease prevention programs and improving access to quality health services throughout the country.
The Dane report offers a comprehensive vision of the challenges that Colombia faces in terms of education, health and social development. Although significant progress has been made in access to higher education for mothers in some regions, gaps between urban and rural areas remain deep. Likewise, the decrease in birth rates and the persistent causes of mortality related to preventable diseases underscore the need to redouble efforts to improve access to basic services and reduce inequalities throughout the national territory.