IDRC’s work within LAC concentrates both on identifying new technical, institutional, and policy solutions to the region’s challenges, and on creating platforms where multiple players can collaborate on confronting these problems.

Its programming reflects the diverse needs of Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, and South America.

Three core goals underline IDRC’s work:

• upholding democracy, human rights, and accountable government;
• reducing vulnerability to disease, natural disasters, and the degradation of natural resources; and
• increasing opportunities for equitable economic growth and access to social safety nets and services

The following initiatives are carried out in the Latin America and Caribbean region

Innovation, Policy and Science

• Innovation, Technology and Society
  The ITS program initiative seeks to generate research outputs that simultaneously strengthen the institutional and learning capacity of developing country innovation systems, enhance efforts to link innovation and social objectives, and inform STI policy development and improve social inclusion in STI-related decision-making.
  
• Research Partnerships Challenge Fund
  Through the Research Partnerships Challenge Fund, IDRC creates new research networks and consortia to tackle international development challenges. In principle, the Research Partnerships Challenge Fund supports the participation of researchers and research organizations from developing countries in a relatively small number of larger-scale collaborative research partnerships that involve Canadian researchers and international research organizations

Environment and Natural Resource Management

• Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program (ECOHEALTH)
  This initiative supports research on the relationship between all components of an ecosystem to define and assess priority problems that affect the health of people and the sustainability of their ecosystem
  
• Rural Poverty and Environment (RPE )
  This program supports research focusing on the needs of the rural poor who live in fragile or degraded ecosystems
  
• Urban Poverty and Environment Program (UPE)
  The Urban Poverty & Environment Program (UPE ) funds research and activities in developing countries that apply integrated and participatory approaches to reducing environmental burdens on the urban poor and enhancing the use of natural resources for food, water and income security.

Social and Economic Policy

• Women's Rights and Citizenship (WRC)
  WRC supports applied research in the field of women’s rights, citizenship and development

• Globalization, Growth and Poverty (GGP)

• Research for Health Equity (includes three programs)
  
  
  • Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI)
    Promotes Canada-South collaborations to strengthen health systems and build global health research capacity.
    
  • Governance, Equity, and Health
    Works to ensure equitable provision of health and health care services, especially to marginalized and underserved populations
    
  • Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC)
    Working to minimize the threats posed by tobacco consumption and production in developing countries.
    
• Peace, Conflict and Development (PCD)
  The Peace, Conflict, and Development Program Initiative supports research to understand the causes and consequences of violent conflict, and to strengthen transitions from conflict to lasting peace.

Information and Communication Technologies for Development

• Connectivity and Equity in the Americas (CEA)
  CEA program initiative supports research on the transformational powers of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs ) as a means to foster sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean
  
• Telecentre.org
  Telecentre.org is a collaborative initiative connecting  telecentres , networks, innovators, social investors and other interested groups who believe that information and communication technology used locally, strengthens individuals and the communities where they live.

For further information on IDRC’s programming visit:  http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-30321-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html