Information available in Spanish

Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN)
The Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN) is a cooperation mechanism for national social development ministries and agencies, in collaboration with international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private sector and academia, to promote the exchange and transfer of experiences and knowledge on social protection.
General Objectives:
- Bring together key actors and institutions throughout the region to engage in an agenda-setting dialogue on social protection schemes and appropriate cooperation mechanisms.
- Strengthen the institutional capacity of national social development agencies in formulating and implementing effective and efficient policies and programs to eradicate extreme poverty, and facilitate greater cross-sectoral cooperation on social protection issues.
- Foster the exchange of best practices in social protection based on detecting specific country needs and priorities, assembling a portfolio of social protection programs, and matching supply and demand of successful programs and methodologies.
- Provide a community of practice of policy-makers and practitioners through a knowledge and learning network.

Activities:
- The IASPN facilitates the exchange of social protection experiences through cooperation exchanges among members in bilateral or trilateral schemes, through cooperation in social protection workshops with innovative methodologies, and through the IASPN online portal.
- Developed 2 Diploma Courses on Social Protection for social development ministries and other key stakeholders (Spanish edition with Universidad Catolica de Chile, English edition with the University of the West Indies).
- Participatory Gender Assessments (PGA). The IASPN is implementing a series of PGAs in 3 social development ministries, aimed at mainstreaming a gender perspective in public policies, in collaboration with CIM.
- Developed and implements a community of practice in social protection with key regional, national and local stakeholders in the social protection field. The IASPN platform also provides a virtual space for the exchange of information and knowledge in this field (some of the tools: Inter-American Social Protection Dialogue Webinar Series, IASPN bi-weekly digest, Social protection Program Portfolio, blogs, discussion groups).
- Within the IASPN Public-Private Partnerships strategy, the OAS brings together key actors in the field to exchange experiences and information, and to build on sustainable partnerships between both sectors.

Beneficiaries:
Countries: regional
Institutions: Social development ministries/ related government agencies, other stakeholders working on social protection (academia, international organizations, non-governmental actors)

Partnerships:
Social development ministries in several countries, Universidad Catolica de Chile, University of West Indies, The QED Group, UNICEF, PAHO, ECLAC, UNDP/IPC, UN Women, FAO, ILO, CIPPEC, EUROSOCIAL, World Bank, CLEAR, OPHI, CFE, SISCA.

http://www.socialprotectionet.org/

Department of Economic and Social Development (DESD) - Tourism section Initiatives

Hemispheric Tourism Fund:
The purpose of the Hemispheric Tourism Fund is to finance cooperation among ministries and national authorities for tourism in order to support those communities in the member states in situations of extreme poverty which, despite having tourism potential in their surrounding areas, are unable to fully access conditions for development.. The Hemispheric Tourism Fund was created by a mandate of the Ministers and High Level Authorities of Tourism at the XIX The Inter American Travel Congress in September 2011.
Activities: The Inter American Committee on Tourism in 2013 approved three projects from El Salvador, Ecuador and Barbados to be financed from resources of the FHT. Two of the three projects are currently being executed.

Inter American Travel Congress (IACT):
The Inter American Travel Congress (IATC) serves as an important platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices and provides a mechanism to sponsor technical studies, strengthen communication between government agencies and the private sector, consider technical cooperation proposals, and support member states in their efforts to develop the tourism sector. The IATC fosters the adoption of official agreements among governments relating to the tourism industry; encourages comparative studies and technical projects focusing on responsible tourism development; and coordinates activities of intergovernmental and private organizations in the area of tourism development.
Activities: The XIX Inter American Tourism Congress held in San Salvador, El Salvador in September 2011, was organized under the theme Tourism: a challenge to poverty.

Small Tourism Enterprise Network (STEN):
The Small Tourism Enterprise Network focuses on improving productivity and competitiveness of small and medium tourism enterprises through targeted training for owners/operators of small tourism enterprises as well as public officials in the tourism sector responsible for supporting the small hotel sub-sector.
Activities: Several national, regional and sub-regional training workshops including the First Forum for Caribbean Small Hotels held in Antigua and Barbuda in July 2012, the First Latin American and Caribbean Encounter of Owners and Operators of Small Hotels held in San Jose, Costa Rica in April 2013, and the series of Organization of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) National Small Hotels Workshops held between April and September 2013.

Beneficiaries:
Ministries of Tourism and other governmental and non governmental institutions of the OAS member states
Owners/operators of small tourism enterprises, public officials in the tourism sector responsible for supporting the small hotel sub-sector
Poor communities which have tourism potential

Partnerships: Ministries of Tourism of the member states, Tourism Boards, Small Tourism Enterprises and Hotel Associations.

OFFICE OF TOURISM

Projects and Activities in Tourism
Hemispheric Fund for Tourism: In the Declaration of San Salvador for Sustainable Tourism Development
in the Americas adopted at the eighth plenary session held on September 30, 2011 the ministers and high authorities of tourism of the OAS member states instructed the Inter-American Committee on Tourism to create a financing and cooperation mechanism among the national ministries and authorities of tourism, through a hemispheric tourism fund composed of voluntary contributions, giving consideration to the participation of the private sector and international organizations, in order to support communities that live in extreme poverty and have tourism potential in their environment but cannot fully achieve development.

The Hemispheric Fund for Tourism (FHT) was therefore subsequently duly established in November 2012 and the first call for projects to be financed under this mechanism was made in January 2013. On June 19 2013, the Inter-American Committee on Tourism (CITUR) will meet to approve the first group of projects to be financed from the FHT.

Capacity Strengthening
The Department of Human Development, Education and Culture has identified major priorities and challenges faced by member states regarding innovation in education and social inclusion. The DHDEC executed exploratory field needs assessments in innovation in education in Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil and the following areas were identified: curriculum development, literacy, STEM, special education, teacher training, workforce development, educational technology, and innovation in education and policy.

The DHEC Supported member states in their efforts to ensure access to quality education for all. At the request of the Ministry of Education of Suriname, the DHDEC provided technical cooperation in the area of innovation in education through an integrated comprehensive model (i.e.. Innovation in Curriculum Development, Teacher Training, Community Involvement, Science and Technology and Learning Strategies). Other requests were received from the Ministry of Education of Panama and the Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago, particularly for communities with less access to quality educational services and infrastructure; initial conversations began.

The DHEC started the development of a Capacity Strengthening Course on Research Based Curriculum Development for Higher Education for Growing Universities. Negotiation among different partners (UNICA; GCUB, and VUB and other Academic partners).

The Office of Scholarships, Training and Capacity Strengthening
The OAS offers access to quality education through its various Scholarship and Training Programs.
OAS Scholarship Programs:
• The Academic Scholarship Program for academic studies;
• The Professional Development Scholarship Program to participate in professional development straining;
• The Partnerships Program for Education and Training to offer scholarships for academic and technical studies and professional development training;
• The OAS Scholarship Program for Haiti for academic and technical studies, professional development training and teacher training.

Office of Education and Culture
The OAS is finalizing ITEN's Regional Knowledge Bank in collaboration with UNESCO-OREALC, CECC-SICA and PREAL to be launched in July 2013 to highlight good practices, programs and experiences throughout the OAS region.The "Regional Knowledge Bank" will be lauch in July 2013

Office of Scholarships, Training and Capacity Strengthening
In order to strengthen human and institutional capacity in member states, the OAS - DHDEC offers training opportunities through scholarships to generate a skilled workforce.
OAS scholarships are also open to vulnerable groups.

Initiative:
International Executive MBA in infrastructure

Descripction:
Under the Partnership Program for Education and Training, the Organization of American States (OAS) and Structuralia in partnership with the Escuela de Organización industrial de Madrid (EOI) have joined together to support outstanding individuals of the Americas by sponsoring a total of 20 scholarships to continue their studies. Young professionals will receive specialized training in sectors of economic and productive growth in the Americas, such as construction, energy and infrastructure. Such specialized training will contribute to economic and social development in the region.

Partnerships:
Escuela de Organización Industrial
Structuralia

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN)
At the heart of the IASPN is the conviction that countries can learn from their peers and build on each other’s experience. Launched in 2009 by the Organization of American States (OAS), the IASPN functions as a community of practice and learning—a regional network linked by a common purpose and focused on practical results. It brings together countries' social development ministries and other government offices, as well as international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and academia. Through the IASPN, participants can share information and knowledge, exchange ideas, and transfer or adapt policies, programs, and practices that have proved to be successful. It was established back in 2009 by the heads of state at the V Summit of the Americas and the Social Development Ministerial Forum.

In 2012, at the VI Summit of the Americas, Heads of State resolved to:
“6. To deepen inter-American cooperation in the area of development and social protection with a view to strengthening human and institutional capacity-building efforts, and generating a skilled workforce, with a gender perspective and giving attention to vulnerable groups”.
"13. To promote the gradual formalization of the informal economy, recognizing its heterogeneous and multidimensional nature, through policies such as registration and information systems to facilitate formalization and access to credit, social protection mechanisms, improvement of occupational health and safety, strengthening of labor inspection, and effective enforcement of labor laws."

IASPN General Objectives:
- Bring together key actors and institutions throughout the region to engage in an agenda-setting dialogue on social protection schemes and appropriate cooperation mechanisms.
- Strengthen the institutional capacity of national social development agencies in formulating and implementing effective and efficient policies and programs to eradicate extreme poverty, and facilitate greater cross-sectoral cooperation on social protection issues.
- Provide an Inter-American cooperation mechanism for the exchange of social protection experiences and knowledge, and match supply and demand of successful programs and methodologies.
- Consolidate the social protection community of practice of policy-makers and practitioners through a knowledge and learning network.

The IASPN is based on the following strategic pillars:
- High-level political dialogue, South-South cooperation, Intersectoral approach, Collaboration among international agencies, Public-private partnerships, Network Tools

IASPN tools:
• Virtual platform— The IASPN is developing and online community of learning and practice dedicated to the social protection field in the region. It will be launched in July of 2012. In the meantime, a dedicated website (www.socialprotectionet.org) serves as a clearinghouse for information about relevant developments, programs, and resources related to social protection in the region.
• Publications—Through reports, concept papers, manuals, newsletters, and other publications, the IASPN systematizes and disseminates critical information about political priorities and policy innovations, and seeks feedback from the countries on key social protection issues.
• Educational and sharing tools—The IASPN offers practical training at the national or regional level through a combination of in-person and virtual tools that range from seminars, workshops, and meetings to webinars, distance-learning courses, and social networking.
• Technical support—As it did with the Programa Puente (Bridge Program) between Chile and several Caribbean countries, the OAS provides hands-on assistance in coordinating and facilitating cooperation.
http://www.socialprotectionet.org/english/index.html

Activities:
• Launching of IASPN virtual platform: community of learning and practice (July 2012)
• On-site cooperation activities in the social protection field.
• Second Edition of Diploma Course on social protection with Universidad Católica de Chile (Spanish)
• Diploma Course on social protection with UWI to be developed (English).
• On-site social protection and cooperation workshops.
• Social protection publications and reports.
• Public-private partnerships in social protection consultations.
• Gender perspective in social protection activities.
• Inter-agency joint statements on social protection.

Beneficiaries:
All OAS Member States' social development ministries, as well as international organizations, practitioners, academia and other stakeholders working in the social protection field.

Partnership:
ECLAC, ILO, FAO, WFP, PAHO, UNICEF, WB, IDB, universities, foundations, among others.

Financing: Current funding: US. Past funding: Canada, China, World Bank and Chile.

Since the Organization of American States (OAS) launched the network in September 2009, the Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN) has been consolidated as a cooperation mechanism to exchange experiences and knowledge on social protection, mainly by providing a comprehensive knowledge and learning environment based on linkages and expanded cooperation among both public and private agencies, organizations and institutions to address issues related to combating poverty and reducing social disparities. Within the framework of the IASPN, the OAS has worked in close collaboration with Joint Summit Working Group (JSWG) partners Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), World Bank, International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); as well as other institutional and academic partners.