COPLA Baseline Assessment: Engaging In Trade and Trade-Related Policy Debates?

One of the key aims of COPLA is to foster policy dialogues and debates among
civil society groups and policy decision-makers around issues of trade, poverty
reduction and social exclusion in Latin America. Our hypothesis is that more
participatory policy processes will lead to more inclusive and effective trade and/or trade-related policy outcomes. In order to assess how effective our work is over the next two and a half years, we are undertaking a baseline study to assess what level and what types of policy dialogues already exist in our partner countries (Bolivia, Nicaragua and Peru) among SMEs, women’s groups, representatives from lagging regions and indigenous people’s groups and policy officials. What are the enabling factors? What are the inhibiting factors?