Inclusive Societies in Latin America and the Caribbean

Introduction

This project aims to reduce gender and social inequalities, reduce poverty and social exclusion, and promote social cohesion in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It strengthens the social dimension of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda with a 360-degree approach, providing opportunities for collaboration between the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Objectives

The project focuses on the following key objectives:

1. Improving access to social rights, services, and justice for vulnerable groups.
2. Supporting inclusive, accountable, and transparent public institutions that promote equity driven and gender-responsive public finance models to reinforce social policies and protection systems.
3. Fostering new solutions and unlocking investments to boost social innovation, resilience of social systems, and enable just, socially responsible, inclusive green and digital transitions.

A particular emphasis is placed on gender equality and women’s empowerment, while also addressing intersectionality with other forms of discrimination (Gender Equality Marker 2). The programme targets the bottom 40% of income households (Inequality Marker 2), focusing on social policies and inclusion, employment, and skills development/Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Project activities

The project is policy-driven and aims to reinforce the social dimension of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda. Key activities include:

• Technical assistance, training and capacity building (short-term and mid-term)
• Policy dialogues
• Financial support to third parties
• Targeted activities supporting specific Global Gateway projects prioritised by the European Commission in the LAC region.

Expected results

1. Strengthened policies and mechanisms that promote equitable access to social rights, services, justice, and protection systems for vulnerable groups, particularly focusing on women, children, youth, and the poorest 40% in the LAC region.
2. Enhanced public governance with improvements in Revenue Administration and Public Financial Management (PFM), resulting in increased transparency, accountability, and participation, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups.
3. Increased social innovation investments to support the resilience of social systems, ensuring that green and digital transitions are socially responsible and inclusive, aligned with the goals of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda.

Implementing partners

• Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas, FIAP (Spain)
• Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AECID (Spain)
• Expertise France (France)
• Instituto Italo - Latino Americano, IILA (Italy)
• Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, AICS (Italy)
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ (Germany)