In many ways, Latin America is starting 2017 with signs of progress and hope. Colombia recently ended a 50-year war that killed 230,000 people and displaced more than 6 million. The historic peace deal between the government Farc rebel group was signed in December last year – revised after a referendum initially rejected the deal – and it is hoped it will bring stability and development to the country.

Indeed, there has been notable social and economic progress throughout the region; more than 100 million people have been lifted out of poverty since the early 2000s, and the economy is forecast to grow by 1.8% in 2017, and continue expanding in 2018.

But there are still significant social challenges facing the region of 640 million people. Though more than 90 million people moved up into the middle class in the last decade, in 2015 and 2016 there was a rise in the number of poor women and men. Income inequality remains 65% higher than in high-income countries.

So how can Latin America continue to get people out of poverty and reduce inequality? How can a movement for gender equality make real gains? And how can indigenous groups defend their rights and be included in decisions?

Join an expert panel to discuss this year’s economic and social challenges in the current global context.

Panel



Diego Sánchez-Ancochea, director, Latin American Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK @dsanco

Diego is the director of the Latin American Centre and associate professor in the political economy of Latin America

Gioconda Belli, Nicaraguan writer, president of Nicaragua’s Pen International, Managua, Nicaragua @GiocondaBelliP

Gioconda is a writer and political activist. She was involved in the Sandinista revolution in the 80s but is now an open critic of the current president

Camila Bustos, researcher at Dejusticia and Nivela, Bogotá, Colombia @MaCamilaBustos @Dejusticia

Camila works as a researcher on climate change, business and human rights, and the human rights movement

Robert Muggah, research director, Igarapé Institute and SecDev Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Robert directs two think tanks and works on violence prevention in the Americas, Africa and Asia. He has a PhD from Oxford University

Federico Cartin-Arteaga, president and director general, Fundación Rutas Naturbanas/SUM Consulting, San José, Costa Rica

Federico is president of a boutique urban planning firm in Costa Rica & Canada and of Rutas Naturbanas in Costa Rica, a non profit aimed at revitalising urban rivers and creating shared use paths for cyclists and pedestrians

The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). Want to recommend someone for the panel or ask a question in advance? Get in touch via globaldevpros@theguardian.com or @GuardianGDP on Twitter. Follow the discussion using the hashtag #globaldevlive.