Living Better: how to register for the benefit

Vivir Mejor is organized around three fundamental lines of action:

1. Development of Basic Capabilities: Includes actions in crucial areas such as food, education, health, housing, basic social infrastructure and legal identity.

2. Construction of a Social Protection Network: It implies assistance actions aimed at people or groups in vulnerable conditions, protection against catastrophic health costs, protection against temporary loss of employment, support in market situations and protection against natural disasters.

3. Articulation between Social and Economic Policy: This component seeks to coordinate actions and programs that emanate from both social policy and economic policy, with the objective of generating employment and integrating individuals into economic development.

Asimismo, the program establishes five main objectives:

1. Full Social Participation: Facilitate the free and equitable participation of people in society, improving their basic capabilities through access to food, education, health, housing, basic social infrastructure and legal identity.

2. Protection and Security: Provide protection to individuals and communities to deal with contingencies.

3. Care and Improvement of the Environment: Promote social cohesion and orderly territorial development.

4. Increased Productivity: Increase people's productivity.

5. Incorporation of Sustainability Criteria: Integrate sustainability criteria into all actions and programs.

Among the positive aspects of Vivir Mejor, it highlights its progress regarding the National Development Plan and the Social Development Sector Program. It is the most articulated and coherent document in defining the governmental strategy for social development. Furthermore, it incorporates in a more extensive way several institutional questions and efforts, detailing the strategies that will be followed to achieve the proposed objectives. The proposal for better coordination between different levels of government to improve the quality of services and the impact of its interventions is also a point in favor.

Another positive aspect of Vivir Mejor is its recognition of the need to integrate social and economic policy, establishing specific areas of interaction. It is recognized that training and the social protection network are fundamental, but not sufficient to raise the standard of living and ensure income options. Also noteworthy is the recognition that the “distortions in market distribution” will not guarantee an adequate standard of living, and undermines the importance of government actions to generate employment and income options.