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Enhancing Social Actors' Involvement in Summits of the Americas Process

Learn about the historical antecedents and importance of social actors' participation in Summits of the Americas. Discover how civil society, indigenous groups, and others contribute to policy-making and democratic strengthening.

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Enhancing Social Actors' Involvement in Summits of the Americas Process

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  1. SUMMIT IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW GROUP (SIRG) OEA/Ser.EFirst Regular Meeting of 2010 GRIC/O.1/doc.7/10April 13, 2010 15 April 2010Liberator Simon Bolivar Room – OAS Headquarters Original: Spanish Washington, D.C SOCIAL ACTORS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE SUMMITS OF THE AMERICAS PROCESS (Presentation by the Summits of the Americas Secretariat)

  2. SOCIAL ACTORS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE SUMMITS OF THE AMERICAS PROCESS Summits of the Americas Secretariat April 13, 2010

  3. SUMMARY • Evolution of the participation and who are Social Actors? 2. Synthesis of activities held before the V Summit 3. Activities since the V Summit • Presentation of the SummitsVirtual Community

  4. Social Actors’ Participation Historical antecedents of the participation are wide and diverse Political bases for participation: Summits’ Declarations and Plans of Action, OAS Resolutions and the inter-American Democratic Charter (Art. 3, 4, 6 and 26) The participation is key for the Summits process, both in the preparatory stages and for follow-up and implementation of previous Summits.

  5. Civil Society and the Summits All Summits of the Americas have stimulated the recognition of civil society within the framework of the OAS I Summit of the Americas (1994 - Miami): Civil Society participation in public affairs is crucial for the strengthening of the Democracy. Extraordinary Summit on Sustainable Development (1996 - Santa Cruz): The exchange of experiences and information between governments and civil society is necessary for formulating, implementing and improving programs and policies for sustainable development. II Summit of Americas (1998 - Santiago):Civil Society participation in the educational development is seen as a determining factor of political, economic and social development.

  6. Citizens Participation in the Summits III Summit of Americas (2001 - Québec) :Civil Society plays an important role in the consolidation of democracy. Its participation in government programs is one of the most important is one of the most important resources for the success of development policies. Extraordinary Summit of the Americas (2004 - Monterrey, Mexico): Through the participation of citizens, the society can contribute to the elaboration, the implementation and the evaluation of public policies in different areas of government. IV Summit of the Americas (2005 - Mar del Plata) : A wider participation of citizens, communities and civil society will help ensure that the benefits of democracy are shared by the society as a whole.

  7. Fifth Summit of the Americas V Summit of the Americas (2009 – Port of Spain): “We commit to continue encouraging the participation of our peoples, through the engagement of our citizens, communities and civil society in the design and execution of development policies and programmes, by providing technical and financial assistance, as appropriate, and in accordance with national legislation to strengthen and build their capacity to participate more fully in the inter-American system”. [Paragraph 94]

  8. Who are the Social Actors? Civil Society Organizations Indigenous Peoples Private Sector Women and Gender groups Youth Afro-descendants Academia and Think tanks Unions and Workers’ groups ACTORS

  9. Main Actors of the Summit Process Enriches the debate Gives voice to the different views existing within a society. Contributes to the dissemination of political agreements at the national level Contributes to the effectiveness and efficiency of government policies Accompanies States in implementing policies and increases accomplishments of commitments Enhances communication between governments, international institutions and citizens in general Strengthens democracy RELEVANCE OF THE PARTICIPATION

  10. Main Actors of the Summits Process The participation of social actors is being consolidated by… Forums and Consultation Meetings Presentation of their recommendations in Member States’ meetings (SIRG, CISCand Inter-American Ministerial Meetings) Dialogue between Member States and social actors representatives in the framework of the Summits. Assisting States in the implementation of commitments.

  11. Synthesis of Activities towards the Fifth Summit

  12. Preparatory Activities: Fifth Summit Diverse mechanisms for social actors participation… Civil Society Hemispheric Forums(Miami, USA – May 2008; Washington, DC – March 2009) Civil society Sub-Regional Forums • Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago – Oct. 2008)- Central America, Mexico and Dominican Republic (El Salvador – Dec. 2008)- South America (Peru – Feb. 2009) Forums Through the Summits Virtual Platform: - 5 Forums in preparation for the Fifth Summit (Sep. 08 - April 09) - Virtual Forum in preparation for the 39th OAS General Assembly and in follow up to the Fifth Summit (May 2009). • Follow up on e-participation: “Exploring new ways to involve stakeholders in the activities of the OAS”.

  13. Preparatory Activities: V Summit Policy Dialogues and Lectures of the Americas: Youth, Decent Work, and Human Prosperity in the Americas The Global Economic Crisis: Effects and Political Strategies Energy Security for Sustainable Development in the Americas Environmental Sustainability in the Americas Forums and consultations with other Social Actors 2 Think Tanks’ Hemispheric Symposiums: Organized with: the Inter-American Dialogue, the Canadian Foundation for the Americas- FOCAL- and Fedesarrollo. (Ottawa / Washington, DC) Second Inter-American Forum of Afro-Descendents (Global Rights) (Dominican Republic. January, 2009). Third Essay Contest of the Summits Secretariat: 7 winners from the hemisphere.

  14. Fifth Summit’s Activities Other events in Port of Spain:April 13-19, 2009 Youth Forum of the Americas Private Sector Forum A Workers’ Forum Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA) Academic Colloquium Trust for the Americas Gala Third Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas(III ILSA) Panama, April 14 - 15, 2009 • Civil Society Forum in the Fifth Summit.National Secretariat of Trinidad and Tobago. • April 14 - 16, 2009 Dialogue between Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Social Actors. Trinidad and Tobago. April 17, 2009

  15. 3. Activities from the Fifth Summit FOLLOW UP TO THE IMPLEMENTATION - A joint effort -

  16. Social Actors: key for the Implementation It is necessary that the Summits’ objectives be assumed as a joint effort between the States, the Inter-American Institutions and the social actors. The current task is implementing initiatives to provide concrete and measurable results in development of the hemispheric agenda that has been reflected in the Summits documents. Follow-up and Implementation

  17. Initiatives being developed Submission of social actor’s inputs and recommendations to the Ministerial meetings. Multi-sectoral meetings lead by think tanks and other social actors: Creation of a “Public Opinion Task Force” (underway). Development Marketplace for Latin America and the Caribbean 2010 (Grant Competition - YABT, BM, BID): Youth Forum of the Americas Civil Society Hemispheric Forum (May, 2010) Policy Dialogue in follow-up to the Fifth Summit (September, 2010) Seminar “Mechanisms for Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the OAS” (June, 2010) E-participation Mechanisms: Summits Virtual Community (June, 2010)

  18. ¡THANK YOU! SUMMITS OF THE AMERICAS SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES www.summits-americas.org 19th Street & Ave. Constitution, NW Washington, D.C. 20006 summit-info@oas.org

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