ILO SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY ACADEMY 3 RD EDITION - APRIL, 08-12 , 2013

Prof. Dr. LEANDRO PEREIRA MORAISlpmorais@gmail.com AGADIR, 2013

Policy framework for the development of SSE

Aims: - Discussion on public policies (PP) for SSE;- Pointing out its main instruments and trends;- Discussion of the relationship of these policies with

“transverse” and “emancipatory” public actions;- Some considerations about SSE in Brazil and Africa; - Conection between Youth employment and SSE; - Collect some international experiences;

Question 1

Is there consensus in your countryabout what is Social and Solidarity Economy?

1. Yes

2. No

Question 2Is there consensus in your country about what organizations qualify as Social and Solidarity Economy?

1. Yes

2. No

1.1 Background

- SSE: difficulties and contradictions – definition; conceptualisation; delimition of its activities / organisations; measuring;

- Voluntary, philanthropic, non-monetary, non-profit, sector of social interest, third sector, NGO, solidarity economy, popular economy…

SSE- Phenomenon more and more economic,

social and political visibility;

- Impacting PP planning (subjects, organisations, entities – recognition, institutionalization and strengthen projects and actions;

Question 3

Are there specific laws in your country that regulate the Social and Solidarity Economy?

1. Yes2. No

Question 4

Are there specific ministries or departments in your country’s Government that deal with the Social and Solidarity Economy?1. Yes2. No

1. Public Policies for SSE1.1 Background

Programmes and actions of the public sector to promote these as choices of work, income, social and democratic participation, better quality of life…

Globally…

- Renowned international institutions have been producing Documents, Statements, Resolutions, Conventions, Recomendations;

- Considerable number of SSEOs;

ILO Regional Conference in Johannesburg (2009) - a broad view of the SSE:

“enterprises and organizations, in particular cooperatives, mutual benefit societies, associations, foundations and social enterprises, which have the specific feature of producing goods, services and knowledge while pursuing both economic and social aims and fostering solidarity”

Globally…- International Cooperative Alliance: www.ica.coop/al-ica- International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation –

ICMIF: www.icmif.org- International Association of Mutuality: www.aim-mutual.org- World Council of Credit Unions: www.woccu.org- International Raiffeisen Union: www.iru.de- Other events: World Social Forum; International Meeting on the

Globalisation of Solidarity; Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the SSE; Asian Citizens Assembly for SSE (“bottom-up” experiences);

SSE - importance: economic, employment and social penetration!

1.2 Trends and Instruments

Emergence of SSE PP:

- New model of relationship between government action and civil society;

- “policy in progress”: “experimental”;- Challenges: institutional fragility /

vulnerability

1.2 Trends and Instruments

Some instruments: Heterogeneous Actions

- Actions for professional qualification for informal segments;- Conventional initiatives to disseminate microcredit;- Promotion of popular cooperatives incubation;- Support for the organization of associativism;- Establishment of SSE public centres;- Definition of specific and transverse programmes;- Definition of legal and regulatory frameworks;- Definition of governmental structures at different levels;- Constitution of logistic and infrastructure;

1.2 Trends and InstrumentsHeterogeneity of actions = diverse in understanding and

recognitionPP for the SSE:- Policies that affect SSE organizations (legal and normative

impositions);- Macroeconomic policies (fiscal and financial) that “privilege”

SSE – subsidized interests / access to credit;- Policies designed to be implemented at different geographic

levels;- Policies to activate certain sectors or specific groups

(agriculture, low-income houses, youth employment);

Policies or supporting instruments?

1.2 Trends and InstrumentsNeamtan & Downing (2005) – a systematized view

4 major categories for SSE PP:1. Territorial Policy: supporting local communities2. Generic tools for development: investment tools,

adequate markets, research, management practices and training

3. Sectoral Policies: environment, housing, new technologies, tourism, culture

4. Policies in favour of target populations: integrating: youth, disabled, recent imigrations

1.3 Constructed from bottom-up- “Co-production”: citizens´collective action- Not seen as a “public construction” but “as the

result of processes of interactions between associative initiatives and public policies” (Laville, 2006:19) – “reciprocal interactions from bottom-up”;

- Territorial Development: social, political, economic, cultural, environmental aspects in their respective territories + associative articulation between local producers and consumers;

1.4 Transverse actions

- SSE and transverse character: mobilizes different areas of public action;

- Objectives – Economic (generation of job and income) / Social (improvement of sociability conditions, strengthening of territorial ties) / Political (creation of public spaces for problem discussion and solving) + SSE mobilize cultural and environmental dimension;

- Problem: lack of articulation between government agencies at different levels (!!!)

1.5 Possibilities of “emancipation”?

- Potential for the emancipation of marginalized sectors based on the SSE;

- Ex. Programmes of conditional cash transfer to alleviate poverty and break its intergenerational circle – Bolsa Família (Brazil);

- “Exit doors”;

2.1 SSE in Brazil: some considerations

- WSF (2001/2); - FBES / CNES / SENAES (2003);- The situation in recent decades: weakned

standard work relationships and unemployment;

- Institutionalization of PP SSE.

2.2 SSE in Africa: some considerations

- SSE practices – philanthropy and actions of NGOs;

- Today: advancements concerning the planning of socio-economic development projects that priorize peace, democratic participation, governance and regional cooperation;

- SSE is “absolutely vital” to the recovery of African economies (Ebrahim Patel)

2. SSE in Africa: some considerations

- Anglophone Africa: policies to support the development of the cooperatives and mutual benefit associations. Also, developed cooperative laws and agencies to regulate the cooperative movement – www.ilo.org/coopafrica;

- Francophone Africa: incorporated a commitment to develop the SSE in their government structures. Ex. Departament of Economic Solidarity (Mali); Ministére de la Solidarité Nationale (Senegal);

- North Africa: SSE as a key strategy to fight poverty and social exclusion.

Question 5 Are there experiences in your countrythat connect the SSE practices as a toolto aid the integration of young people inthe labor market?

1. Yes2. No

3. Connections between Youth employment and SSE

- SSE initiatives and ventures may lead to opportunities for integration young people with few prospects from vulnerable communities;

- Public Works and Employment Programmes (PWEPs): job creation initiatives for vulnerable groups based on SSE principles;

- An initiative was recently launched in Brazil (2011): Brasil sem Miséria” [Brazil without Misery];

- ILO (2012:46), “there were many experiences but very few impact assessments and evaluations in this area.

4. Collecting experiences...• How to institutionalize the SSE in governmental

structures?

• The centrality and interfaces of the SSE in other policies?

• How to “territorialize” government action?

• How to establish permanent and effective mechanisms for SSE participation in policy management?