on the one hand it is encouraging that the changes in income distribution and levels needed to meet poverty reduction targets are consistent with the regional trajectory of the last decade assuming past performance is an indicator of feasibility however it is also a wakeup call to strengthen social protection systems because some countries of the region will not meet the targets and because several countries have performed better over the last decade than over the last three years the incidence of poverty is greater among people living in rural areas children adolescents and young people indigenous peoples workingage women people with lower levels of educational attainment and those whose basic needs are not met while some of these gaps have narrowed since others have widened