At the recent HABITAT III preparatory thematic meeting in Mexico City (9-11 March 2016) on “Localizing finance for inclusive change”, Judith Hitchman (Urgenci) represented RIPESS in a roundtable discussion with Yasy Morales of the Rencontres Mont Blanc, Milder Villegas of INAISE and Enrique Ortiz of HIC (Habitat International Coalition).
Judith Hitchman spoke of the need for a joined-up SSE approach to the economy, not as a poor persons’ alternative, but as a full, multi-dimensional economy in its own right, illustrating this through food sovereignty and agroecology.
The importance of this moment was significant: not only were the key actors of the solidarity economy movement speaking as one, with highly complementary input, but the final declaration reflects the importance and need for the focus to shift to SSE as the lever that can support the necessary paradigm shift for cities to achieve successful governance.
You can find the final declaration here, including reference to both Community Land Trusts and Community Supported Agriculture.
