Social Development and Public Governance > Social Development
Social Development - January 2003
Note from the Deputy Manager:
New IDB institutional strategies for the next five to ten years are on the way. The Social Development Division-SOC-is coordinating the Social Development Strategy. The challenge is immense due to the economic situation of the region. The IDB plans to concentrate on those areas critical to development and reduction of poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the goal of addressing and incorporating important stakeholders we have consulted, electronically and in person, a representative group of Bank clients and civil society members. The results of some of these consultations are presented in this bulletin. Our department is dedicated to the Bank's social agenda and our experience in promoting that agenda has fed into the strategy being prepared.
I am glad to share with you that the Bank approved the second Action Plan for Combating Social Exclusion Due to Race or Ethnic Background. This will guide the Bank's activities on social inclusion through December of 2003. In pursuit of this Action Plan, the Bank sponsored an event-Todos Contamos II: Los Censos y la Inclusion Social-with the World Bank and the Peruvian National Institute of Statistics and Information (INEI). Our objective was to promote the collection, processing, and diffusion of statistical information about ethnic groups. Additionally, we gave financial and technical support to the Rigoberta Menchú Foundation to organize the First Summit of Indigenous Women of the Americas, held at the beginning of December in Oaxaca, México.
Among other activities carried out by SOC, it is worthwhile to highlight two consultations on labor markets, an INDES course for Afro-descendant leaders, a workshop on the effectiveness of social dialogue, and a seminar on social inclusion with organizations of Italian civil society. We also coordinated an international seminar on the Millennium Development Goals-MDGs, with the World Bank, UNDP and ECLAC. Our objective was to initiate a process of international support for the countries of the region in the follow-up to the MDGs and the promotion of public policies that advance their fulfillment.
Our specialists have not only continued providing support to the operative departments of the Bank but also have tried to identify good practices and lessons learned from collaborations in the field. At the end of October, President Iglesias recognized those projects whose design effectively incorporate gender and social inclusion perspectives. In this bulletin you will find an article about one of the projects that received special recognition (Social Protection Network in Nicaragua) and more detailed information about the activities mentioned. I am pleased to share this information with you and I reiterate that your comments are always welcome.
Christof Kuechemann
Last updated: 06/01/07
