LATIN INITIATIVES
Designing Opportunities for Growth
Moderated by: President Bill Clinton
Over the last decade in Latin America, sound economic and social policies and dedicated public sector leadership have helped lift more than 70 million people out of poverty and transition 50 million people into the middle class.
Progress in reducing economic inequality and extreme poverty—as well as positive trends in economic growth, job creation, and educational achievement—signify meaningful improvements in the region.
However, core infrastructure challenges must be addressed to ensure that these benefits are shared equitably among the region’s citizens and to achieve sustained economic growth. Panelists will discuss these ongoing challenges as well as share examples of innovative, replicable initiatives in the region that address long-term social and economic goals.
In this session, key leaders from across sectors will share how participants can:
• create cross-sector partnerships that foster a culture of innovation, promote economic growth, and expand the region’s global competitiveness
• design successful social development programs through collaboration to achieve greatest impact
• expand opportunities for girls and women to become innovators, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, and civil society leaders
Women Entrepreneurs: Expanding to Large-Scale Enterprises
Moderated by: Claudia Antunes, Editor, Revista Piauí
Women represent half of the global population, of which approximately 187 million are entrepreneurs, and their engagement is a necessary tool for any country to achieve its full economic potential. In Latin America, over half of all micro-enterprises are woman-owned, versus only a quarter of small businesses and eight percent of medium-sized businesses. Creating opportunities for women to move beyond the micro level and build larger-scale enterprises will generate broad benefits, increasing women’s self-sufficiency and improving family incomes.
In this session, key leaders from across sectors will share how participants can:
• learn from successful women entrepreneurs, as well as programs that have enabled women to access markets and financing to grow their enterprises
• construct approaches to integrate female entrepreneurs into the global supply chain, while addressing key barriers to entry
• prioritize skills-training and mentoring in the private sector to help woman-owned enterprises achieve greater scale
Latin American Cities: Revitalization and Economic Transformation
Moderated by: José María Figueres Olsen, Former President, Republic of Costa Rica, President, Carbon War Room
Latin America is the most urbanized region in the world with nearly 80 percent of its population residing in cities, creating economic opportunities for millions of people. However, this growth also strains the ability of regional leaders to guarantee quality of life, generate jobs, keep citizens safe from crime, and protect the environment. As rapid urbanization increasingly becomes a reality, traditional models of urban development can be redesigned to ensure that cities are smarter, safer, and more sustainable for citizens.
In this session, key leaders from across sectors will share how participants can:
• replicate innovative approaches to urban development through successful public and private programs
• identify ways for the private sector to participate in public infrastructure projects through financing and technical innovation
• advance mobility, improve security, reduce crime, support marginalized communities, and increase civic engagement by expanding partnerships across sectors