What is the Social Network?
The Social Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC, by its Spanish acronym) was founded at the onset of the 90’s, it gathers the Social and Emergency Investment Funds (FIS-FISE) formed in most of the Region’s countries to reduce poverty or extreme poverty undergone by millions of the region’s inhabitants, due to some extent, to totalitarian regimes in previous decades and on the other hand, to severe successive economic crises and other economic adjustments that left thousands unemployed (according to World Bank figures in 1981) and therefore over one third of the region’s population was below the official poverty line.
With the arrival of democracy, newly formed governments began to direct their attention to the creation of dynamic and expeditious institutions that could address the situation faced by millions of homes consumed by poverty; in large measure financing came from international support provided by World Bank (WB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), among others.
At the beginning, the Network was made up by approximately 13 institutions, its domestic tasks where geared towards building basic emerging social infrastructure to ease the ravages of the economic adjustment programs applied during the 80´s, mainly interested in exchanging experiences. In time, this facilitated member institutions to grow and develop programs specifically linked to their reality.
Fifteen years after its foundation, the Network is made up of approximately 30 institutions which have gone from temporary project proposals to being immersed in domestic strategies linked to fighting poverty and the establishment of long-term public policies; including national budgets which allowed financial independence from international organizations.
Network evolution occurs within the context of robust change in Latin America and the Caribbean, amongst the most significant are three economic crisis, market opening and globalization which brought about new phenomena and regional occurrences. In addition, fighting poverty becomes a strategic priority to all nations and institutions for social development, new projects and forms of government-democratic society relationships take off. Additionally, an unprecedented citizen participates and organized social groups become role players.
Consequently, today we are convinced that it is only through joint action of societies and governments supported by international cooperation that the growing trend of our continent towards poverty shall lose ground and within this framework, Social Investment Funds have a significant role to play.
With the arrival of democracy, newly formed governments began to direct their attention to the creation of dynamic and expeditious institutions that could address the situation faced by millions of homes consumed by poverty; in large measure financing came from international support provided by World Bank (WB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), among others.
At the beginning, the Network was made up by approximately 13 institutions, its domestic tasks where geared towards building basic emerging social infrastructure to ease the ravages of the economic adjustment programs applied during the 80´s, mainly interested in exchanging experiences. In time, this facilitated member institutions to grow and develop programs specifically linked to their reality.
Fifteen years after its foundation, the Network is made up of approximately 30 institutions which have gone from temporary project proposals to being immersed in domestic strategies linked to fighting poverty and the establishment of long-term public policies; including national budgets which allowed financial independence from international organizations.
Network evolution occurs within the context of robust change in Latin America and the Caribbean, amongst the most significant are three economic crisis, market opening and globalization which brought about new phenomena and regional occurrences. In addition, fighting poverty becomes a strategic priority to all nations and institutions for social development, new projects and forms of government-democratic society relationships take off. Additionally, an unprecedented citizen participates and organized social groups become role players.
Consequently, today we are convinced that it is only through joint action of societies and governments supported by international cooperation that the growing trend of our continent towards poverty shall lose ground and within this framework, Social Investment Funds have a significant role to play.
