Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is an approach to economic activity that places people, the environment and sustainable development above other interests. It is a holistic way of life that embraces all people in their social relationship and with nature, and takes transcendental values such as equity, justice, fraternity, solidarity, democracy, sustainability and self-management into consideration. SSE is proposed as a viable and sustainable alternative for satisfying individual and global needs; it aspires to be an instrument of social transformation.

The Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social and Solidarity Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, RIPESS LAC brings together different associations and organisations of the social and solidarity economy on the continent. It will implement a Policy Advocacy Project between 2020 and part of 2021 for the promotion of the SSE as a Strategy for achieving Sustainable Development (SDGs) in the post-COVID-19 context. This project is supported by the Catalan Cooperation Agency for Development (ACCD), within the framework of its objectives to strengthen advocacy networks in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This project it will make it possible to advance and develop proposals for the co-construction of public policies and programmes for the promotion and encouragement of the SSE, jointly between civil society organisations and the respective decentralised local governments.

Another purpose of the project is the strengthening of SSE networks at local, national and regional level. This will help to promote gender equity, generational participation, healthy local, fair markets, solidarity finance, recognition of producer organizations and ancestral communities, seeking their participation in the co-construction of territorial public policies.

Thanks to this project, training and political advocacy initiatives of SSE organisations will be promoted and disseminated through virtual events and webinars, focusing on priority themes such as gender equality, political advocacy, solidarity-based economic supply chains, regulatory frameworks in SSE, among others. This will be complemented by the exchange of relevant SSE practices and the preparation of support and dissemination materials.

Furthermore, the exchange of knowledge and proposals of public bodies and social organisations in the co-construction of public policies in international spaces, such as the GSEF, LED Forum and others will be promoted.

Finally, the project will consolidate the various initiatives and actions implemented to support the vulnerable populations of Latin America in these times of pandemic.

 

Ripess Lac Communicates