SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OAS, ALBERT R. RAMDIN AN AGENDA FOR EQUALITY: REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON PUBLIC POLICIES AGAINST POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

September 26, 2025 - Washington, DC

Distinguished, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives to the OAS,
President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR),
Executive Secretary of the IACHR,
Permanent Observers,
Representatives from civil society, academia, and experts,
Dear colleagues,

I always take great pleasure in participating in discussions about improving the lives of people.

The paradigm of development and poverty eradication is changing. We need to restate the development paradigm in such a way that it effectively addresses the challenge of poverty reduction.

Let me be clear. Great strides have been made. Significant progress has been achieved over the past 40 to 50 years, particularly since the Second World War, but that progress has recently plateaued. This is a clear sign that we need to rethink how we approach poverty reduction. I will address some of these issues as part of this discussion.

I am pleased that we are holding this consultation on public policies against poverty and inequality within the framework of the OAS. The OAS is not a development financing organization, but it is an organization in which development must be present in political discourse, especially as it is one of the four core pillars of its work.

I would like to thank the Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights of the IACHR, Dr. Palummo, for leading this effort, as well as the Government of Mexico for its support in making this consultation possible.

When we speak about poverty eradication, we cannot separate it from our broader development aspirations. This applies from the perspectives of equity, equality, and productivity. Too often, poverty eradication is understood simply as lifting people out of extreme deprivation. But it must go beyond that, encompassing education, healthcare, safety, and a much more holistic approach.

There are certain groups in our societies that require special attention. I would like to focus in particular on at-risk youth, especially young people living on the streets. It is a moral obligation of governments to provide for them. Many have no certainty about the next hours of their lives. They have no jobs, no income, and no roof over their heads. They sleep on the streets. These young people have often gone through a process of social isolation before ending up in this situation, and this is a problem shared across the entire region. Addressing this should be a priority. I have spoken with the Inter-American Children’s Institute about focusing on this issue. While there are initiatives underway, we need a truly hemispheric effort.

Youth more broadly also face serious challenges related to job security. That is why I often tell our departments that the key question is not only how many people have been trained to enter the job market, but how many of those trained have actually found employment.

Training and education are, of course, essential, and this is closely linked to our broader development discussion. Our education systems need to be reformed and modernized to address today’s challenges. Too often, these systems prioritize knowledge accumulation rather than critical and creative thinking.

I do not want to sound pessimistic about the emergence of new technologies, but many of their negative aspects remain insufficiently controlled. These technologies can be misused to cause harm. Just yesterday, I spoke at the United Nations about how digital technologies can be used to specifically target women online.

We also need to reach all communities, including Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants, many of whom live in remote areas with limited or no access to the internet. We must ensure that everyone has equal opportunities. Every country should make an effort to ensure that no one is excluded from the services offered by governments. This is a fundamental right.

Another key element of this development paradigm is engaging with the private sector. The private sector creates jobs and generates investment; it increases productivity and raises incomes. Without the private sector, our efforts cannot succeed. Governments must facilitate this process, and the private sector must be a genuine partner.

This is not about philanthropy or traditional corporate social responsibility. The private sector cannot generate sustainable profits if production does not benefit people. I have discussed this with several companies. Corporate social responsibility often is about balance sheets, but what we need are investments that generate thousands of jobs.

A third element is closer cooperation within the inter-American system, including the Inter-American Development Bank, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, and the Pan American Health Organization. The OAS cannot resolve all these issues on its own, but it can help frame the political discussions around them. This is why mobilizing the inter-American system is so important.

A clear example where joint efforts are required relates to the situation in Haiti. Next week, I will speak with President Goldfajn from the IDB about the use of 200 million dollars in grant funding available for Haiti. In fact, often, funding itself is not the main obstacle; the real challenge lies in project design and implementation.

In Haiti and other parts of the Hemisphere there is the critical issue of resocializing individuals, particularly young people, who have been involved in criminal organizations. Addressing gang leadership is one thing; addressing the underlying social problems is another.

My final point concerns the need to continue this discussion. These conversations are fundamental to building just, free, and fair societies. For Member States, the Summit of the Americas will provide an important opportunity to address these issues, including climate change and declining GDP due to natural disasters. These are complex challenges, and I hope we can broaden the discussion to fully incorporate them.

We must be as concrete as possible. We can theorize extensively, but the real question is what we will actually do.

Thank you for your time, your dedication, and for contributing to this vital dialogue.