Institutional Frameworks for Social Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean: a Central Element in Advancing towards Inclusive Social Development

In a global context of cascading crises and great uncertainty, Latin America and the Caribbean continues to face structural problems such as poverty, inequality and the violation of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. While institutional frameworks for social policy show progress, these frameworks are still being consolidated. This is compounded by critical obstacles to inclusive social development, which include technological transformation, migration, the effects of disasters and climate change, and various forms of violence, that risk exacerbating challenges. In view of the achievements and challenges of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in their efforts to get back on track to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this document analyses the progress made and identifies some avenues for strengthening social policy institutions, and thus improving the quality of public policies for social development. It also presents some recommendations for building strategic and transparent governance of decision-making processes, as a prerequisite for ensuring that a rights-based approach can become a sustainable reality in the region.