Partners Argentina
Fundación Cambio Democrático
Fundación Cambio Democrático was founded in 1998 as the initial Partners Center to promote change and conflict management in Latin America. Since then, Fundación Cambio Democrático has worked with representatives of all sectors and implemented innovative models of citizen participation to address complex social and economic issues and public policy. The Center specializes in utilizing Partners’ cooperative planning methodology to engage all stakeholders in implementing and improving upon ineffective public policies, on issues including the environment, public safety, and youth leadership.
Fundación Cambio Democrático’s main areas of expertise include:
Environmental Conservation. Fundación Cambio Democrático mobilized a response to an environmental crisis
in San Pedro, where a species of endangered trees was threatened.
The Center conducted a cooperative planning process that
included the mayor, the Minister of Ecology, the Chamber
of Commerce, environmental groups, the fire department,
teachers, park rangers and residents. Partners facilitated
discussions as the group worked through the contentious
issues and then developed legislative amendments that would
preserve remaining Araucarias trees, while simultaneously
ensuring the security of community members and their homes.
At the conclusion of the long process, these resolutions
were finalized by a government decree and incorporated into
provincial legal statutes.
Social Change. Partners and Fundación Cambio Democrático co-conducted a Latin America Regional Training program for social change leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru. The training centered on participatory processes around gender, environmental, health, human rights, education and governance issues, and strengthened participants’ ability to implement public policy and conflict management initiatives in their home communities. For example, the Foundation for Sustainable Development (TERRAM) is using its conflict management skills to convene a confederation of local fishermen with local officials, environmental groups and fishing industry representatives to reform Chilean fishing statutes and the depletion of fishing resources.
Youth Development. In response to the constitution of Buenos Aires guarantee of the right of youth to participate in local decision-making, Fundación Cambio Democrático worked with La Mesa de Concertación Juvenil to draft a bill for the creation of the Youth Council of Buenos Aires. In addition to trainings and cooperative planning, Partners-Argentina and La Mesa developed an advocacy and public relations campaign to mobilize support for the establishment of the Youth Council, and transformed La Mesa into a leading consensus-based youth coalition poised to promote change in youth policies in Argentina.
Access to Justice. To increase access to justice for underprivileged people, Fundación Cambio Democrático helped implement a public policy decentralizing Buenos Aires Province’s legal system (Act 12061 of the Public Ministry of Justice) through localized Houses of Justice. Fundación Cambio Democrático trained these Houses to provide legal consultation and dispute resolution services to the underprivileged on cases such as domestic violence, housing and property disputes, divorce, child custody, and substance abuse. In addition, the Center drafted legislative recommendations and statutes on the continued decentralization of the judicial system in the Province.
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