Proceso Social is also trying to teach families skills that might give them a better chance of finding work in an environment where there is a shortage of skilled labour and a surplus of non-skilled workers.

BBC: Peruvian child in slum

It needs the export sector to continue booming, in order to absorb surplus labour from the countryside and moribund state-owned companies.

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Its leaders need at least 7% annual growth, they reckon, to continue to create enough jobs to absorb surplus rural labour and the workers laid off by state-owned enterprises.

ECONOMIST: China's economy

But he has won praise for his prescriptions for Brazil's economy: low inflation and a hefty primary budget surplus for now and, in time, reform of taxes, labour laws and the money-losing pension system.

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There was the usual surplus of jargon - other politicians have meetings, Mrs Gillan has bilaterals - and a couple of sharp clashes with Labour MPs.

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