AAMERICA/MEXICO - Does being indigenous mean being discriminated against, experiencing marginalisation and poverty ?

Monday, 25 July 2016 discrimination  

geya garcia


Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) – The main disadvantages of being a member of an indigenous community in Mexico are being discriminated against, marginalised and condemned to a life of poverty, exclusion and illiteracy. This emerged from a nationwide survey regarding Indigenous peoples carried out by the National Independent University of Mexico (UNAM), according to a report sent to Fides. Most Mexicans are aware that the living conditions of indigenous peoples are far worse than those of the rest of the population, however according to 21% of the people interviewed, the principal advantage of being indigenous consists in their traditions, rich variety and diversity of languages and linguistic derivations. There is a strong tendency among Mexicans to avoid giving jobs to indigenous citizens , considered by many as being lazy, passive, indifferent, helping in this way to perpetuate a stereotype vision of their world. In actual fact, the study reveals, not all Mexico’s indigenous citizens live rural areas, in poverty and in remote areas. (AP) (25/7/2016 Agenzia Fides)


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