Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) and Financing for Development (FfD) – A concept note about FfD, Yvon Poirier, RIPESS Board of Directors

The considerations in this paper are meant to be a contribution from RIPESS to the CSO hearings at the UNGA of April 8-9, 2015, as part of a larger process of reflection lead by the network on the issue of FfD. They do not necessarily represent a final RIPESS position on FfD.

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Introduction

«No one should be left behind». There is general agreement that this must be at the heart of the Post-2015 SDGs. This vision must also be at the heart of the Financing for Development (FfD) framework. This implies that the different types of financing, such as grants and loans, must also reach the communities and organisations, including the grassroots organisations, which are working to improve their own livelihoods. The Position Paper Social and Solidarity Economy and the Challenges of Sustainable Development, published by the UN Inter-Agency Taskforce on Social and Solidarity (TFSSE), clearly recognized this. The potential of SSE for implementing successfully the SDGs is clearly affirmed. The Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS), which has Observer status in the TFSSE, is a network of continental networks (in Latin America, North America, Africa, Europe, Africa, Asia) that connects social solidarity economy networks throughout the world. The community-oriented practices that have been developed over the years by social solidarity economy actors for financing local development and co-constructing public policies for collectively-managed funds for development provide insightful input to inform a renewed global agenda for financing sustainable development.

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