Social Development and Public Governance > Social Development
Social Development - November 2000
From the Division Chief:
The SOC Division is coordinating Bank-wide work that seeks to combat social exclusion based on gender, race and ethnicity, and disability. A common feature of these different forms of exclusion is lack of access to the benefits of development rooted in, as Nobel prize winner Amartya Sen mentions, 'relational failures'. It is this relational genesis, according to Sen, that distinguishes the concept of social exclusion and contributes elements of practical importance to the closely linked concepts of poverty and deprivation.
The inherent unfairness and arbitrariness of social exclusion is directly related to this relational origin, and social inclusion policies need to address (improve) relational processes. To help identify and promote more effective inclusion policies, the IDB is convening two seminars in conjunction with our annual meetings next March in Santiago. One will examine gender as well as ethnicity/race-based labor market exclusions and another will focus on policies to increase spatial, educational, and labor market access to persons with disabilities. In addition, we are undertaking a comprehensive program of research on the determinants and consequences of social exclusion of ethnic and racial origin. You will find more details on these and other related activities in this newsletter.
Mayra Buvinic
Last updated: 06/01/07
