The Pilot South-South Exchange
Tue, 16 December 2008
Launch of the South-South
Human Development Stock Exchange Pilot Project
Press Release
The Special Unit on South-South Cooperation is please to launch the pilot to attend the, a marketplace for human development projects to capitalize on provnslutions from developing countries.Human Development Stock Exchanges are creating a reliable, standardized and accountable enviroment for social investors to identify and select projects. For social entrepeneurs HDSXs are providing funding, greater visibility for their projects and networks for exchanged and experiences, best practice and resources.
Background
What has the more value that human development?
In these tough economic times, investors are looking for a greater return for their money than ever before - but in some cases the return is not necessarily financial. Having the power to impact and improve human lives in a tangible way is the most potent return possible for your investment and more and more individuals and institutions are looking for ways to engage in socially beneficial projects in a responsible manner.The pilot SS-HDSX is an initiative by the Special Unit for South-South Cooperations (SU/SSC) within the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote human development and South-South Cooperation.
There is no shortage of networks that showcase best practices, but translating these into effective action has been difficult to accomplish. At the same time, there is no shortage of organisations, institutions and individuals who would like to support effective development activities, but are unsure of how to do so effectively.
The pilot SS-HDSX acts as a broker among developing country organizations wishing to cooperate by matching Proven Solutions developed in one community, with needs for such development solutions in other developing country. The pilot SS-HDSX also mobilizes funds from social investors wishing to contribute so that best practices in development can be replicated, there improving livelihoods mong beneficiary communities and sharing knowledge and experience on successful development solutions among institutions of developing countries seeking to advance human development.
The pilot SS-HDSX is further evidence of SU/SSC’s commitment to “walking the talk” when it comes to south-south cooperation: firstly the SS-HDSX, it creates, strengthens and magnifies existing solutions, increasing their value; secondly, it builds upon existing south-south partnerships and proven solutions, and finally, it works in synergy with other initiatives to have the maximum possible impact for human development in the global south.
Despite being just a pilot at this stage, the SS-HDSX is already an fully operational platform for development activity:
• Two south-south cooperation projects available for funding through the Exchange, a textile production project for Kenya, and a women’s small enterprise project for India and Sri Lanka.
• In partnership with several existing best practice and knowledge sharing networks, including the IRENE NGO Best Practices Network of the NGO Section of UN-DESA, SU/SSC has already identified seven (from a potential 25) best practices which were interesting and replicable, and have been included on the exchange.
Thus, while the Forum and the event on the 16th December is the official launch of a pilot platform, it is situated within a market that is already active and engaged, and is expected only to improve and expand. Organisations with existing best practice networks focusing human and livelihood development for the global south are invited to contact ssc.hdsx@undp.org and express interest in bringing their network onto the exchange, or listing a Best Practice in the pilot SS-HDSX.