Measuring Poverty and Social Rights: A CONEVAL Event Overview

CONEVAL, the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy, was established to measure poverty and evaluate social development policies in Mexico. Since its inception, CONEVAL has focused on multidimensional poverty measurement based on social rights outlined in the General Law of Social Development. The council's work began in 2008, emphasizing evidence generation for decision-making and social policy improvement.

CONEVAL is pleased to introduce the book 'Poverty and Social Rights in Mexico' along with diagnostic studies on social rights from 2000. This book, comprising 77 works by experts, aims to deepen the understanding of social rights and poverty in Mexico.

Since the constitutional reform of June 2011, all authorities in Mexico are mandated to promote, respect, protect, and guarantee human rights. CONEVAL has applied principles of universality, interdependence, indivisibility, and progressivity since 2009 to define poverty measurement criteria. This approach aligns with the universal human rights framework.

CONEVAL collaborated with the Institute of Social Research at UNAM to conduct research on poverty and agrarian rights. Fiorella Mancini led this academic endeavor, involving experts from academia and the public sector. The research aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of social and economic rights in Mexico.

The academic council members of CONEVAL bring diverse academic backgrounds and expertise to the evaluation of social development policies. Recently, Dr. Salomón Magaña Matt was honored with a National Science Award, further enhancing the council's capabilities.

Participants in the event include Gonzalo Hernández Licona, the executive secretary of CONEVAL; Juan Manuel Martínez Louvier, director of the National Institute of Social Economy; Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar, president of the Budget and Public Account Commission of the Chamber of Deputies; and Dr. Edgar Corso Sosa, the fifth visitor of the National Human Rights Commission.

Gonzalo Hernández Licona presents the evolution of CONEVAL's work on social rights through the presentation of books and social rights diagnostics. These products reflect CONEVAL's progress over the past year and a half in providing essential assessments for the government transition.

CONEVAL was established in 2006 following the Congress's mandate for an independent poverty measurement and social policy evaluation entity. The organization's focus on social rights stems from the Constitution and the Law of Social Development, emphasizing the importance of measuring poverty through multidimensional approaches that encompass social rights.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of measuring poverty based on rights, highlighting that for the first time in history, poverty is officially measured with a focus on social rights in addition to family income. This approach was mandated by the congress, leading to the evolution of poverty measurement by CONEVAL to include dimensions such as education, healthcare access, social security, housing quality, and social inclusion.

The evolution of poverty measurement criteria by CONEVAL includes elements like educational attendance, completion of adult education, income generation through employment, social protection, healthcare coverage, basic services like electricity and clean water, housing conditions, and food security. These criteria reflect the broader understanding of poverty beyond just income levels.

The speaker notes a correlation between household income trends and poverty levels in Mexico, highlighting that poverty has not significantly decreased over the past 30 years due to erratic family incomes. The measurement of poverty includes income as a fundamental factor, but extreme poverty shows a different dynamic with some improvements in basic service coverage despite economic challenges.

While overall poverty reduction remains a significant challenge, there has been a reduction in extreme poverty due to improvements in basic service coverage such as housing, healthcare access, and school enrollment. The speaker acknowledges the mixed progress in addressing economic barriers to poverty reduction while enhancing basic service coverage for the most vulnerable populations.

The speaker emphasizes the need to revisit the constitution and the General Law on Social Development to ensure effective access to rights. They highlight the challenge of measuring poverty at the municipal level due to data limitations. While progress has been made in healthcare coverage, there is a lack of quality services. The discussion underscores the importance of including elements of quality and effective access to rights in social development efforts.

The speaker mentions the efforts of the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) in expanding the measurement of social development beyond poverty. They stress the importance of including effective access to social rights in these measurements to provide comprehensive insights for policymaking.

The speaker discusses the integration of social development diagnostics with traditional poverty measurements. They highlight the aim of these diagnostics to serve as a tool for the government and congress in making informed decisions on budget allocation and policy direction for social development.

The speaker delves into the analysis of rights accessibility, availability, and quality. They provide examples of challenges faced by individuals, such as lack of healthcare access despite having insurance. The discussion emphasizes the importance of going beyond minimum standards to ensure a just society with equal opportunities for all social groups.

The speaker references Jesus Gonzalez's insights on the need for structural changes in public policy, particularly in development programs. They stress the importance of addressing underlying structural issues to tackle disadvantages faced by indigenous populations and women. The discussion highlights the significance of implementing anti-discrimination policies to address systemic inequalities.

Coneval aims to expand the set of indicators beyond poverty measurement to include effective access to rights. This initiative, in collaboration with other entities like the government and civil society, seeks to provide a more comprehensive guide for the country's development. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness of poverty measurement by incorporating additional indicators.

Maestro Manuel Martínez, Director of the National Institute of Social Economy and representative of María Luisa Albores González, Secretary of Welfare, expresses gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the event. He highlights the importance of the initiatives undertaken by Coneval and the valuable insights provided in the publication presented. Maestro Martinez emphasizes the significance of using the publication's findings to shape public policies effectively.

Maestro Manuel Martínez references Ignacio Ellacuría's quote on human rights, emphasizing the fundamental nature of rights in human development. He reflects on the disparity between the existence of oppressed and excluded populations and their access to basic rights. By citing Ellacuría's insights, Maestro Martinez underscores the importance of addressing the core issues to ensure all individuals can fully exercise their rights.

The speaker outlines four central ideas guiding the proposal for a new law of welfare. These ideas focus on developing public policies that consider the life cycle of individuals, emphasizing territorial development to address the diverse social, cultural, and environmental conditions in the country. The proposal aims to prioritize groups such as older adults and people with disabilities, transitioning from basic care policies to productive inclusion, with a specific focus on improving income levels and fostering social dynamics.

The speaker discusses the role of the National Institute of Social Economy in proposing mechanisms for productive inclusion based on the principles and values of social economy. The institute aims to challenge the narrative that social economy is only for the poor or marginalized, highlighting its potential to generate wealth and distribute it effectively. By emphasizing the transformative impact of social economy on individuals, the institute seeks to promote structures that create wealth while instilling attitudes aligned with social economy principles.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of the Welfare Department in fostering structures that promote wealth creation and distribution while shaping attitudes based on social economy principles. By encouraging participants to embody values of social economy, the department aims to contribute to the construction of a new citizenship. This approach involves raising awareness among individuals about their rights and fostering a sense of civic responsibility, ultimately aiming to create a more inclusive and democratic society.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of focusing on the production of wealth and the strengthening of personal capacities. This should be guided by human rights principles and aligned with the measurements provided by coneval for a more effective public policy design.

The speaker expresses great joy in receiving the publication, highlighting its potential to serve as a strong platform for dialogue and learning, fostering a deeper understanding of human rights and wealth production.

The speaker expresses gratitude to Maestro Martínez Louvier for his message, acknowledging the valuable insights shared.

The speaker mentions close collaboration between Coneval and the Budget and Public Account Commission, highlighting the positive impact on budget decree formulation. Lessons learned from Coneval's involvement are expected to enhance the development of new social program rules aligned with the new president's campaign proposals.

Efforts are being made to enhance program monitoring through pilot groups to ensure success, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Recommendations are anticipated to support the successful implementation of a new social development strategy.

There is a push for program consolidation in 2019, aiming to reduce the number of social programs to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. This consolidation is expected to lead to significant savings and improve social policy outcomes.

The speaker notes the professionalization and consolidation of the institution responsible for measuring poverty, highlighting improvements in national and local poverty data presentation. These advancements position the institution among the world's leading entities in poverty measurement.

The constitutional reforms in Article 1 provide a comprehensive framework for measuring poverty, exercising social rights, and respecting human rights. This legal framework enhances the country's approach to poverty combat and social rights enforcement.

The discussion touches on the emerging concept of exigibility in Mexico, influenced by the city's constitution and constitutional reforms on collective actions. While still in its early stages, this concept has the potential to shape legal practices and social policies in the country.

The speaker highlights the challenge of enforcing human and social rights due to the lack of mechanisms for accountability and justice. Without legal frameworks for enforceability and justiciability, rights may not be fulfilled. The new law proposed by the representative of the Secretariat of Welfare should incorporate legal norms and constitutional instances to ensure the enforceability and justiciability of social rights.

The speaker emphasizes the significance of considering prices alongside income when addressing social rights. Attention should be given to the prices required in households to access rights such as food, housing, and healthcare. The control of monopolistic or oligopolistic prices is crucial to prevent certain entities from benefiting disproportionately from social programs aimed at reducing poverty.

The speaker expresses concerns about the fiscal weakness of the Mexican state, citing inadequate fiscal revenues, the current tax system, and the lack of collaboration from higher economic segments. A different fiscal approach is deemed necessary for the successful implementation of robust social policies and the realization of human rights. The speaker calls for a significant shift in taxation to support sustainable development and social welfare.

The speaker underscores the importance of upholding universal principles of human rights, emphasizing the indivisibility and universality of fundamental rights. Evaluation and measurement of new programs in the context of the 2019 fiscal year are crucial to ensure their success and gradual implementation. The speaker advocates for aligning policies with human rights principles to guarantee the effectiveness and sustainability of social programs.

Dr. Edgar Corsos Osa conveys a message from Mr. Luis Raul Gonzalez Perez, the President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). The message likely pertains to the commitment of the CNDH to upholding human rights and promoting accountability within the Mexican context.

The meeting begins with a greeting to Mario Luis Fuentes, a member of the governing board of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the chair of the anti-human trafficking department. Ricardo Bucio, the executive secretary of discipline, is also acknowledged. The date is December 10th, which marks Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The presentation of a 700-page report on poverty as a human rights issue is highlighted. The meticulous methodology and external evaluation of the report by the Institute of Social Research underscore its importance. The report is a culmination of a long-term project, symbolizing a significant achievement for the National Human Rights Commission.

The discussion shifts to viewing poverty as a human rights concern, emphasizing the interconnection between poverty and various rights violations. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights' report on poverty in the Americas focuses on both monetary aspects and the fundamental capability to lead a dignified life, enriching the understanding of poverty beyond mere economic indicators.

Poverty is identified as both a cause and consequence of multiple rights violations, exacerbating factors of vulnerability, exclusion, and discrimination. The complex interplay of economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political factors necessitates a multidimensional study to address the profound impact of poverty on equality, non-discrimination, and the fulfillment of various rights, perpetuating cycles of poverty across generations.

Development is considered one of the main rights, not only individually but also collectively, encompassing economic, social, cultural, and political aspects. International instruments like the Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, adopted by consensus in the UN Human Rights Council, provide a framework for eradicating poverty in the long term. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the need for states to implement necessary policies and mechanisms to ensure the mandatory basis of the right to development gradually and progressively.

The Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights serve as a valuable guideline by recognizing individuals living in poverty as rights holders and agents of change. The principle of progressivity is crucial in analyzing human rights concerning poverty, emphasizing the state's obligation to utilize maximum available resources effectively to achieve the progressive realization of rights. It is essential to determine the specific resources required for each right to be effective, highlighting the importance of considering the budgetary impact of implementing rights in legal frameworks.

Various studies, such as 'Human Rights and Poverty: Public Policies Facing the Perspective of Constitutional Rights,' conducted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico and civil society organizations, provide detailed analyses and indicators of specific rights. Recommendations include the development of indicator dashboards focusing on economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights, emphasizing the importance of specific criteria related to individuals' life cycles and specific population groups facing inequality gaps. These studies serve as valuable tools for government authorities at different levels to address poverty and human rights issues effectively.

The National Human Rights Commission conducted a study on the public budget and human rights, highlighting the importance of aligning budget perspectives with human rights to ensure the fulfillment of these rights. Discussions revolve around redesigning public expenditure in Mexico to prioritize human rights fulfillment. Emphasis is placed on the exigibility and justiciability of social rights like housing, health, and education, underscoring the need for quality services to truly reflect these rights.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of making rights enforceable, not just by the judiciary but also by the legislature and executive. This means that the fulfillment of rights should not solely rely on judicial decisions but also on legislative actions to ensure compliance. The concept of exigibility extends beyond justiciability to involve all branches of government in upholding rights.

Poverty is described as a multidimensional phenomenon that goes beyond economic aspects. It includes social exclusion and discrimination that violate human dignity. Addressing poverty requires integrating a human rights approach into poverty measurement and government actions. A paradigm shift is needed to recognize individuals as rights holders and agents of change, particularly in vulnerable areas affected by poverty.

The speaker calls for a shift in governmental action towards recognizing individuals as rights holders and agents of change. This involves implementing positive measures with a focus on vulnerable populations. Government actions should impact legislative, executive, administrative, budgetary, and regulatory instruments, moving beyond an administrative perspective to coordinated and effective actions that safeguard human dignity.

To ensure accountability and transparency in public service delivery, mechanisms such as a culture of reporting, social oversight, transparency, and accountability are essential. Effective fiscal oversight and control of public resources are crucial for upholding human rights. The speaker highlights the importance of ratifying international agreements like the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to enhance human rights protection.

The first part of the event presentation concludes with gratitude towards the participants. The speaker acknowledges the message delivered by Dr. Corso Sosa and invites attendees to the second part of the event. Participants are encouraged to take a coffee break while adjustments are made. The speaker expresses thanks to all attendees for their presence.