Costa Rica is a country in Central America with beautiful destinations. Although Costa Rica is known for its volcanoes, beaches and waterfalls, it has many social and economic problems. One of the main problems in Costa Rica is poverty and the need to provide children with the best environment in which to grow and learn. Costa Rica's population is 4.9 million and 26% are under the age of 14. Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, is home to approximately 333,000 people, and many of them are in poverty. Ten percent of the Costa Rican population struggles to make a living, and some even earn less than two dollars a day. Although Costa Rica has programs that help children grow up in good conditions, they still have poor access to care and education. 36,000 children in Costa Rica are orphans and could end up on terrible, crime-ridden streets. Under these conditions, child prostitution, drug abuse and gang violence can become part of their lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Poverty in Costa Rica is a very large problem, especially in rural areas. One in four families lives below the poverty line and 20% of the population is affected. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was ratified in Costa Rica in 1991. The CRC advises non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to survival, life and development, and respect for children. Because many families do not comply with the CRC, children are exposed to poor access to water, unhealthy diets and poor education. Medical care in Costa Rica has improved over the years and is available to all citizens. Even though Costa Rica has good medical conditions, 10% of children die before the age of five. Usually these victims come from poor families. HIV is another major problem in Costa Rica. Even though HIV is not recorded among children, it is still one of the highest in Central America. 0.4% of the population is infected with HIV. Education for children in Costa Rica is free and compulsory, but most children still do not receive formal education. 280,000, or about 8%, of children are uneducated. 9% of children aged between 5 and 14 work instead of going to school to support their family. They work in agriculture and sell goods on city streets. The teachers work with the children to be able to purchase educational materials during the coffee harvest. Child labor is a major problem in Costa Rica. Coffee production is an important industry in Costa Rica. Children usually collect the coffee husks. 5% of children aged 5 to 14 are economically active and some children have no choice. They work to buy clothes and school supplies. This work increases children's chances of contracting diseases and getting hurt. Another serious problem is violence against children, which represents the most serious social problem. Children suffer from their homes to their schools. Three of the main problems affecting young people are physical, psychological and sexual violence. There have been 700 or more reported cases of sexual violence, and there have likely been more that have gone unreported. Child trafficking has become a major problem in Costa Rica. Child trafficking is a crime that exploits children for purposes such as forced labor and sex. An average of 26 people per year are victims of human trafficking in Costa Rica. The victims mostly live on the streets. Children are used as sexual objects and are vulnerable. They are not aware of the situation and the.