What existing socially innovative developments do you notice in Latin  America and the Caribbean?

A “boom” of social innovations is observable in Latin America and the Caribbean. The region is extremely creative and we believe this has something to do with the fact that the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have never had a true Welfare State. Nevertheless, social spending has increased in the region. Implemented programmes deal, for example, with conditional cash transfers to the poor. But there are still issues where enormous gaps are identified: for example the quality and coverage of education and health, income generation and youth programmes.
Most of the socially innovative initiatives in the region accrue from bottom up. But we could also find governmental commitments. The conditional transfer programmes are an example of socially innovative developments undertaken by governments. They have clearly reduced (extreme) poverty in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Concrete examples on the community level – usually with the support or NGO’s – -can be illustrated at this stage: in the Brazilian Amazon a community of small farmers developed with the support of non-governmental organisations and universities a model of exploitation of the wealth of the forest without destroying it. The model included the processing of raw materials and led to partners earning incomes above the national minimum wage (RECA).
Another example concerns the policy field education. In Argentina, a civil society organisation created a programme to encourage reading with children by ‘grandmothers’. Pupils with weak social backgrounds receive support in learning ro read from older women volunteers. Due to its great success in Argentina the example has been replicated in several countries in Latin America – e.g. in Brazil and Colombia.

Is social innovation formally positioned on policy the level in Latin America and the Caribbean?

Social innovation is formally positioned in a few countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. For example Colombia has founded a “Centre for Social Innovation”. Its work focuses on the the identification of socially innovative models and initiatives to promote their creative replication in other contexts. In Argentina, “social innovation” is concretely being promoted by the Ministry of Productive Development. Thematically social issues and a solidarity economy are central topics.

What is the biggest challenge for social innovations to become alive?

The main challenge for Latin America and the Caribbean is to mainstream innovative projects and measures. The transfer of innovative models to public policy still needs time and the will for implementation. This could be a process which begins at the local government level and extends to an intermediate and a national level. A good example is observable in Brazil, where a model of health care for remote populations on the banks of the tributaries of the Amazon River was developed by an NGO (http://dds.cepal.org/innovacionsocial/e/proyectos/br/saludalegria).

Which impacts do you expect from social innovations for our societies?

In Latin America and the Caribbean developed social innovations have improved the living conditions of specific target groups of the population. For example, they have reduced infant and maternal mortality, improved schooling and reduced dropouts and decreased poverty.

Why is social innovation important for your organisation?

For ECLAC, social innovation is important because it contributes to the improvement of the living conditions of the population, especially the most vulnerable groups. Moreover it is also important in the framework of the United Nations due to its contribution to the UN’s Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals.