Public policies and the socioecological dimension of democratic development: challenges and opportunities facing democratization in Latin America in relation to the forecasted failure in meeting SDG6
ALDAS-6 is a project of the WATERLAT-GOBACIT Network’s Thematic Area 3 Urban Water Cycle and Essential Public Services.
Background
The research focuses on SDG6, one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) scheduled to be achieved by 2030. The broad scope of SDG6 is “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.
ALDAS-6 is grounded on the recognition that, although SDG6 refers to a fundamental right of substantive democracy, this right continues to be systematically denied to significant sectors of the population in Latin America. Despite advances achieved in some respects, official UN reports published since 2023 have alerted that key targets for meeting the goal of universalizing access to quality and affordable water and sanitation services by 2030 are unlikely to succeed. This is largely the result from persistent structural inequalities and injustices, which are aggravated by ongoing “desdemocratización processes”. The project’s core research problem focuses on the systemic conditions and inertial forces that obstruct the effectivization of the SDGS and, consequently hinder much needed material advances required for meaningful democratic development in the region.
Project Objective, and geographical and temporal focus
Carrying out a comparative analysis of advances and regressions in the socioecological dimension of democratization processes in Latin America, taking as empirical reference the implementation of SDG6 in the countries with full membership of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus Chile and Mexico, to allow a broader scope for comparative reasons.
The research gives priority to the period starting in 2018, but will also include experiences from 2000-2015, to account for lessons from this period that are highly relevant for the project’s main objectives.
Research Team
Co-ordination
Jose Esteban Castro
Emeritus Professor in Sociology, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, Visiting Foreign Professor, Federal University of Pernambuco(UFPE), Brazil.
Roberto Miranda, Lecturer in Sociology, Federal University of Pernambuco’s Agreste (UFAPE), Brazil.
Members (in alphabetical order)
In progress.
Funding
State of Pernambuco’s Foundation for supporting Research and Technology (FACEPE)
For more details, please send an e-mail to WATERLAT-GOBACIT Network’s Secretariat.