Los Angeles, Apr 16 (IANS): Singer Shakira returned to her native Colombia to deliver a speech, urging improved childhood development policies in Latin America.

"I am convinced that by far the best way to fight poverty in Latin America is to invest in the education of all our youths, and to do so particularly from the months before they are born," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Shakira as saying.

The singer was recently named a member of US President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. She participated the annual Summit of the Americas with Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in Cartagena, Columbia.

"I firmly believe this social investment must come not just from government but from all of us, including those in the business community," Shakira said.

"Inequality in Latin America as you know, is among the worst in the world, and such high levels of inequity are an indictment of the failure of past generations of Latin American political and business leaders to deliver inclusive economic growth."

"But I am not here to reflect upon the past, but rather to talk about the steps that we can take facing the future to ensure that our generation and nations do not fail again but instead fulfil the enormous potential reflected in their hundreds of millions of young people," she added.

The summit brings leaders together to find solutions to problems in the western hemisphere.