Social Promotion and Protection

Social Network

The Social Investment Funds (SIF) finance small projects at the local level and help empower poor and vulnerable populations. The SIF have been a successful mechanism to reach out to the population, businesses from the private sector and non-governmental organizations that provide services. Since the experience of the Bolivian Investment Fund was implemented in 1989, development banks have provided resources to those funds focusing on initiatives to improve access to clean water, school constructions, medical assistance, nutrition programs, construction of roads and support to micro enterprises, among other things.

In 1991 these Funds establish a regional forum to exchange experiences, which became in Social Network for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Organization of American States has supported the initiative since its beginnings, and became its Technical Secretariat in 1996. The main goal of the Social Network is to promote and facilitate horizontal cooperation among its members, especially focusing on the design and implementation of strategies and projects to overcome poverty. The network mechanisms allows for a better identification of the demand and supply of projects, the identification of innovative practices and the satisfaction of training needs through the transference of new knowledge. The Network has put in practice these goals through regional conferences, seminars and internships.

To achieve the established objectives the Network is endowed with an organic superstructure comprised of three substructures: the Annual Conference, The Coordinating Committee, and the Technical Secretary. The Annual Conference constitutes the highest expression of the Social Network. The Coordinating Committee is the executive organ for the policies and decisions of the Network. The Committee is comprised of six member institutions selected during the annual conference. The role of technical secretary is carried out by the Department of Social Development and Employment of the Organization of American States.

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MEETING OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN TO PREPARE THE WORK PLAN 2008-2009Washington DC
23 October, 2008
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XIV ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
October 17 - 18, 2007
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