World Bank Discussion Paper No. 261S. Spanish edition ("Alivio de la Pobreza y Fondos de Inversion Social: La Experiencia Latino americana"). Reviews the experience of 12 social investment funds in Latin America, identifies "best practices" and lessons learned, and analyzes related policy and operational issues. In the late 1980s, many governments of Latin America and the Caribbean established Social Investment Funds (SIFs) to mitigate the negative consequences of structural adjustment...
More DescriptionWorld Bank Discussion Paper No. 261S. Spanish edition ("Alivio de la Pobreza y Fondos de Inversion Social: La Experiencia Latino americana"). Reviews the experience of 12 social investment funds in Latin America, identifies "best practices" and lessons learned, and analyzes related policy and operational issues. In the late 1980s, many governments of Latin America and the Caribbean established Social Investment Funds (SIFs) to mitigate the negative consequences of structural adjustment measures and the debt crisis. This report reviews the experience of 12 of these SIFs, analyzing their effectiveness as financial intermediaries for investments to alleviate poverty among targeted groups. Most SIFs have complemented and reinforced structural adjustment and reform policies. The SIFs successfully reach the poor and channel external aid and resources directly to the community level. The funds also generate employment, influence the operations of the social sector ministries, and serve as a model for some ministries that are pressing for administrative reforms. Also available: English (ISBN 0-8213-3025-X) Stock No. 13025; and French (ISBN 0-8213-3369-0) Stock No. 13369.