Ensuring International Support for Open Society Goals
Focus AreasThe Latin America Program carries out a range of activities and grantmaking aimed at fostering international support for policies that would establish more open societies in Latin America. Activities include:
- supporting the role of the United Nations and regional organizations such as the Organization of American States in shaping key policies in the hemisphere;
- encouraging and supporting subregional efforts by democratically elected civilian governments to develop cooperative strategies aimed at preventing terrorist threats while strengthening civilian democratic institutions;
- promoting policy debates in Washington about the need to balance U.S. security concerns in Latin America with continued support for democratic institutions and values.
As an example, the Latin America Program supports the following organizations that work in this area:
Organization of American States (OAS): OSI supported the “Inter-American Civil Society Partners hip Initiative," which seeks to expand and strengthen the network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the OAS and to promote their participation in the implementation and monitoring of the Summits of the Americas mandates.
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA): OSI supported a multi-year project to study the impact of U.S. international drug control policy on democracy and human rights in Latin America , publish a book on the findings, and support an extensive education and advocacy campaign.
