Work

Esquel’s work in Brazil is organized in three programs spelled out in its Strategic Plan, aimed at overcoming ecological crises; promoting economic transformation with socio-environmental sustainability and overcoming inequality and poverty; and strengthening structures and mechanisms for participatory democracy, social movements and civil society organizations, through cross-sectoral actions that respect ethical principles.

Esquel Brazil prepares studies, technical notes and proposals in areas of strategic importance for sustainable development, providing technical support to civil society organizations and networks and participating in advocacy Councils and Fora on public policies. It also implements projects with vulnerable communities to develop, test and document innovative social technologies.

Principles of Action

In all its programs, the Esquel Foundation is guided by four principles:

Innovation – identify and address strategic issues for sustainable development, often anticipating emerging and overlooked issues, taking into account socio-environmental and socio-economic situations of vulnerability, risk and destitution;
Emphasis on knowledge management – promote the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge, and generate and systematize new knowledge based on experimentation and dialogue with vulnerable grassroots groups;
Partnerships – mobilize and coordinate a network of partners for each initiative to strengthen their advocacy process;
Synergy and convergence – build alliances linking agendas, authors, players, organizations and networks based on a systemic vision of sustainable development.

Transition to a Society with a Fair and Solidarity-based Economy

Esquel Brazil’s programs aim for economic transformations consistent with socio-environmental sustainability, justice and rights, prioritizing innovative and replicable forms of inclusion and protagonism for vulnerable communities and groups, on the one hand, and overcoming inequality and poverty, on the other.

This involves technical and financial support for solidarity-based economy and finance initiatives, solidarity associations and cooperatives, the non-market economy, promoting equal access to rights and resources, fostering family and community production and income generation systems (sustainable family farming, urban services, etc.), based on the principle of dignified lives for all.

The program raises funds for projects targeting vulnerable communities, with priority for Brazil’s Northeast and North, providing grassroots training/education, technical support and incubation services, developing and applying innovative social technologies, in partnership with the Vencer Juntos Network. The team also helps to mobilize networks and broad alliances to advocate for public policies on productive inclusion and solidarity-based economy, with social control over their implementation. The team supports the Northeastern and Brazilian Solidarity Funds Networks and participates in building a National Solidarity-based Financial System

Socio-environmental sustainability

This program is aimed at reversing ecological crises at the global, national, regional and local levels and at protecting ecosystem processes and assets that are fundamental to life, while respecting the principles of human rights, ethnic diversity, multiculturalism and peaceful coexistence.
This involves activities and objectives for dealing with environmental crises – climate change, pollution, desertification and loss of biodiversity – bearing in mind the values of human rights and social justice, through advocacy for public policies, the engagement of civil society organizations and the execution of targeted projects.
Esquel Brazil has a seat on the Coordinating Board of FBOMS – the Brazilian Forum of Environmental and Sustainable Development Organizations and Social Movements. It represents FBOMS on the National Council on the Environment — CONAMA and participates in various spaces and bodies for political advocacy to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. It plays a leading role in the Escazú Brazil Movement, mobilizing for the ratification, dissemination and implementation of the Escazú Agreement, as well as helping draw up a new Brazilian Plan Against Desertification. It works with ASA (Articulação do Semiárido) and other partners, to promote the One Million Hectares in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Program for regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices and the restoration of degraded lands.

Full Democracy with Civil Society Protagonism

The program works to transform and strengthen participatory democracy structures and mechanisms to serve as social, institutional and political tools to achieve sustainable societies.
This involves objectives and activities to strengthen citizens’ rights, social movements and civil society organizations, to implement appropriate regulatory frameworks for participation in all spheres of public interest including collaborative bodies that shape, manage and monitor public policies.
Esquel Brazil plays a leading role in the Platform for a New Regulatory Framework for Civil Society Organizations (MROSC Platform), convincing lawmakers to improve and regulate it and public authorities to put the MROSC Law into effect. It produces studies and proposals to improve the institutional environment for CSOs. Esquel is a member of the working group of the Brazilian 2030 Civil Society Agenda network, which advises the Parliamentary Front for Sustainable Development Goals, and sits on the CONFOCO – the National Council for Promotion and Collaboration.