The Social Network of the neighborhoods Lavalle, Mi Bandera, 30 de Marzo, Loteo Silva, 22 de Abril and neighboring settlements of Viedma, made a report on the situation of vulnerability faced by young peoplein addition to the acts of police violence that were denounced on Thursday at the Prosecutor’s Office.
This Network emerged in 2006, in the midst of a context of neighborhood violence and given the impossibility of institutions to carry out care practices, particularly with young people. At present there were two complaints in the span of a week involving young people and the police, in two independent events.
As estimated by different reports that were made, This neighborhood represents a large part of the Viedmense community and counts around 40,000 inhabitants. in those neighborhoods, with a large percentage of young people.
“We are concerned about the treatment of the Police with young people. QWe want action to be taken fully observing all the actors”, they affirmed from the Network and added that “young people lack containment, prevention is what we are looking for”.
At the same time, a report was presented with various social issues that the community is going through and that the Network observes with great concern for the context of vulnerability.
The purpose of this first report is make known to the different areas of the municipal, provincial and national state some of the problems that need urgent treatment such as school desertion, caused by the overpopulation of the enrollment.
The Network Evidences a significant increase in the general population of these neighborhoodssince other sectors were added to the existing ones and he pointed out that there are no official data, but according to the territorial workers, it is estimated that the population is close to 40,000 inhabitants, highlighting that it is a population of young people and children mostly.
There is a lack of containment spaces and the schools cannot copeadded to the fact that those children and young people who attend other schools outside the neighborhoods have problems with respect to public transport.
As explained, in relation to young people and adolescents, it is observed that the conditions of vulnerability have become more complex due to the deepening of the current social crisis, which generally affects this group.
Those with the greatest containment are those who are enrolled and attend school, and/or to spaces called promotional preventive programsbut there is a significant number of young people who attend educational establishments far from their homes, and who have economic difficulties to pay for the bus ticket, causing in many cases, school dropout.
He also points out that “There is overcrowding in the schools.” It was mentioned as an example the ESRN 19 secondary school, located in Barrio Patagonia. «It currently has an enrollment of 470 students Approximately, and since 2019, only students who enroll and choose this school as their first option are entering ».
The school has two first-year divisions in the morning and two in the afternoon, with a maximum capacity of 110 students. In the 2023 cycle, 360 students enrolled for the first year, choosing it as the first and even fourth option. “These data allow us to confirm that there is an overcrowding of students for the current building.”
On the other hand, the promotional preventive programs that took place in this school also run out of physical space to carry out their daily activities. “This reflects the urgent need for a new building for a secondary school that responds to the needs of young people and their families.”
Public transport and mobility. This neighborhood growth in the capital of Río Negro implies a public transport service that adapts to this population growth, however, currently it does not contemplate the schedules or the routes demanded by the neighbors, key to connecting with the city.
The Network explained that during the pandemic line C and its route were suspended, and until today it was not answered, which deepens this problem. On the other hand, line E, at 8:00 p.m., modified its route and does not enter the 22 de Abril neighborhoods, part of 30 de Marzo and the Nehuén sector.
Besides, on Sundays there is no direct public transport service, “leaving the neighbors to their own fate. Added to this, the high cost of the ticket and the non-existence of a school ticket leaves residents without access and without connection to other neighborhoods and the city center, with the consequences that this generates for life in society and in particular for health and safety.”
That’s why they ask from the Network, review the contract between the company and the Municipality of Viedma since this situation also generates “school dropouts” since they pointed out that many times “the bus is full and they don’t pick you up. It causes students to stop attending in winter and that generates desertion.
Social organizations also consider it necessary for the Ministry of Education to coordinate a survey by schools to verify the attendance or non-attendance of students, since from the Network «it is observed that after the pandemic many have not entered or re-entered their schooling. On the other hand, access to technology (computers) and connectivity that guarantee permanence in the system should be guaranteed.
Another problem that the report revealed is related to the comprehensive health of young people. “The lack of accompaniment and care from health agencies, particularly at this time of the post-pandemic, stands out. Situations of social isolation to consumption problems have been described. Given the complexity of the proposal, we understand that it is a situation that must be addressed by the responsible areas, that is, teams of health, education and area professionals that must guarantee the mental health care of young people.
In addition, describe situations of young people who “for the mere fact of belonging to these neighborhoods are stigmatized and violated by the police. In other cases, by not having any type of social containment, they are exposed to the drug circuit that leads them to problematic consumption but also to police violence.
They also claim that “There is a general lack of knowledge of the protocols to follow in the event of events in which young minors are affected” and they observe with concern the lack of actions for the accompaniment and that guarantee the rights of this social sector affected by the economic crisis.