Social Innovation for the promotion of decent work in the rural economy: Implementation Manual for Labor Initiatives

Rural areas in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are characterised by severe decent work deficits. The percentage of vulnerable employment (self-employed workers and contributing family workers) is almost twice as high as in urban areas. Moreover, the quality and coverage of health insurance and pensions are very limited and the percentage of workers with a written contract is very low. Workers’ and employers’ organisations can also be strengthened, and the promotion of human rights, International Labour Standards, and social dialogue is not, or limitedly, included in rural development agendas. Interventions are predominantly designed and managed following a lineal model (design-developmentimplementation-evaluation), which constrains innovation processes, as well as the quality and impact of public policies. The lack of coordination and articulation between the actors, as well as the lack of connection between the interventions and the social, economic, political and cultural narratives and dynamics of the territory have a negative impact on innovation processes and expected development and sustainability results of the interventions. In this context, the following challenges linked to the design and formulation of public policies arise: • Improve or strengthen the design, formulation and evaluation of innovative and sustainable interventions. • Develop intervention strategies to test, adjust and validate new innovative interventions and scale them at public policy level. • Develop innovative solutions to address labour market challenges, taking into account the narratives, needs and aspirations of social, territorial and sectoral actors. • Identify innovative ways to act in a collaborative, multisectoral and intersectoral way, harnessing collective intelligence and addressing challenges related to the lack of coordination in the formulation and implementation of initiatives. • Establish the viability of innovative interventions in specific territorial contexts, using efficient investment, as well as agile evaluation tools.