Social cohesion in post-COVID19 recovery agendas

The plans designed to deal with the damage done by the pandemic provide an opportunity to develop policies that promote social cohesion. The FIIAPP-led EUROsociAL+ cooperation programme organised a bi-regional meeting with representatives of government institutions and international alliances from Europe and Latin America to discuss common challenges and potential methods for connecting the economic relaunch and social investment.   

In addition to dealing with the relationship between economic recovery and social policies, the meeting addressed the gender inequalities that the pandemic has highlighted, as well as the need for robust welfare systems to avoid inequalities and strengthen the capacities of individuals, families and groups. These include the need for fiscal, educational, social welfare policies that serve the three functions of welfare systems: social investment, social protection and the stabilisation of the economy.  

The event was attended by Anna Terrón, director of FIIAPP, who highlighted the work of programmes such as EUROsociAL+ to ensure personal development from a public standpoint. The director of the Foundation also talked about the importance of relations between Latin America and Europe, two societies with common values that have proven that – with cooperation and dialogue – they are capable of facing emergencies and global challenges.  

The European Commission was represented by Jolita Butckeviciene, director for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Directorate-General for International Partnerships. The meeting was also attended by Costa Rica‘s Labour Minister, the Minister of Economy, Planning and Development from the Dominican Republic and Argentina‘s National Director of Economy, Equality and Gender from the Ministry of Economy. Also in attendance were the assistant executive secretary of ECLAC, the executive secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women (OAS), the Executive Director of the EU-LAC Foundation, and the Executive Director and Coordinator of the Cabinet of the Secretary General of SISCA.