Four years ago, only few citizens in the Ibero-American region believed their countries were heading in the right direction for sustainable development.
In 2023, this sentiment persists. A considerable portion of Ibero American citizens think their country is on the wrong track: 87% in Argentina, 86% in Peru, 63% in Chile, 62% in Colombia, 61% in Spain, 50% in Mexico, and 43% in Brazil.
| The Ibero-American region is the community of countries in Latin America and in the Iberian Peninsula that share linguistic and cultural ties. It includes all Spanish- and Portuguese- speaking countries in Latin America & the Caribbean, and in the Iberian Peninsula, like Spain, Portugal and Andorra |
They have reason to be concerned: the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean estimates that, in Latin America and the Caribbean, only 25% of SDG targets may be achieved by 2030.
Yet, to make progress and invest on sustainable development organisations need public backing. What do citizens think today and how can communicators help build trust?
Whom do Ibero-American citizens trust?
Many citizens in the region feel they cannot trust their governments. In South America, 50% of citizens feel this way, and only 48% support democracy. In Spain and Portugal 68% and 49%, respectively, said they tend not to trust their governments.
In general, Ibero-American citizens are also distrustful of what international co-operation can do for them. The World Values Survey (2017-2022) finds that 69% of people in the Ibero-American region do not trust their major international regional organisations (I.e., Caribbean Community – CARICOM, Mercado Común del Sur – MERCOSUR, and European Union).
There are some bright spots, however. Other surveys find that, in some countries, citizens do perceive the interconnectedness of issues across borders and that international cooperation can help overcome crises.
In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, a Pew Research Center survey in 2020 found that 65% of Spanish citizens believed that more cooperation between their country and others could have reduced COVID-19’s impact. Even before the pandemic, in 2019, a large majority of Spanish citizens (88%) supported the idea that countries worldwide should collaborate to solve problems.
In 2020, 79% of citizens in the LAC region said they were in favour of greater integration with other countries in Latin America and beyond. This sentiment is mirrored in Spain and Portugal, with 79% and 91% respectively agreeing that the EU should establish partnerships with non-EU countries to invest in sustainable infrastructure and foster global connections.
The challenge is not just to understand public attitudes, but also to grasp what motivates people’s personal actions to help advance the SDGs.
What are Ibero-American citizens doing to take action for the SDGs?
In the 2016 YouthSpeak survey, 68% of respondents from LAC said they volunteered and give their time, resources and energy to a particular cause, compared to a global average of 58%. Indeed, many activists from Ibero-American countries are gaining global recognition for their leadership in promoting the SDGs. At the 2023 UN SDG Action Awards, the finalists included a Climate Action platform in Argentina, and a Youth Parliament initiative in Brazil.
The Glocalities 2022 Trend Report, that included Brazil, Mexico and Spain, highlighted that Generation Z demonstrates open-mindedness, tolerance, and a forward-looking perspective. This generation is concerned about global challenges and is ready to take action by volunteering, donating, and leveraging social networks to raise awareness. They feel empowered and engaged when policies align with their values.
But Glocalities also found that young adults in developing economies, which included Brazil and Mexico, feel let down by society and pessimistic about the future.
According to the OECD Report on Public Communications (2021), increasing citizen participation and involvement in public discussions and decisions can raise trust, strengthen accountability and raise awareness about results that governments have achieved. The report documents promising initiatives in Ibero-American countries:
- The Mexican government conducted a public consultation in 2018 to engage citizens and gather feedback for the National Strategy for the 2030 Agenda.
- Some countries are exploring the use of artificial intelligence to understand public opinion. In Brazil, for example, the Special Secretariat for Social Communication (SECOM) uses intelligent machine learning techniques to conduct sentiment analysis on social media, track the impact of messages, and identify information gaps.
- Several LAC governments hold citizen councils and debates on development plans or specific issues like social policy or environmental preservation.
- The OECD Observatory on Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) showcases how citizens participate in budgeting in countries like Portugal and Colombia.
But there remains significant room for improvement in the roles of public communicators to enhance transparency, integrity, accountability and stakeholders’ participation in both LAC and OECD countries.
What are public institutions doing to engage citizens?
Every year, SEGIB runs a region-wide campaign to raise SDG awareness and engage citizens for the 2030 Agenda. In 2022, the “Afianzar la comunidad iberoamericana” (“Strengthening the Ibero-American community”) campaign aimed to highlight the achievements of Ibero-American Cooperation for countries, communities and citizens.
Besides a regional initiative, national governments have been stepping up their efforts to foster transparency and engage citizens for the SDGs:
- Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain and Uruguay have online platforms where citizens can track progress towards the SDGs.
- The Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation produces monthly reports open to the public on the services offered by the Agency and information on the progress of their programmes.
The 2021 OECD Report on Public Communications also shared good practices after surveying 9 countries in the Ibero-American region: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, and Spain. One example is Chile’s Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency call for artists to create original digital content with their Open Government Data portal, promoting data-driven communication and citizen feedback.
COVID-19 has also profoundly transformed how governments engage with citizens. Many institutions found news ways to communicate amid lockdowns and the rise of new social media platforms.
In Colombia, the government’s multi-faceted approach included a daily television programme: experts, online influencers and government officials delivered crucial updates and information on COVID-19 measures. The Health Ministry partnered with influencers, athletes, and other celebrities to promote sanitary measures and vaccination. This creative collaboration extended to one of the country’s most significant music festivals, which became a platform to encourage vaccination.
The Colombian President also conducted Facebook live sessions to directly address citizen queries, concerns, and share essential updates, backed by the production of thousands of visual and video materials aimed at reducing anxiety and combatting misinformation.
Some countries are also experimenting with new social media channels. For example, the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation recently launched a TikTok account, where they share details on their initiatives, and how their programmes are helping citizens.
So how can public outreach have a bigger impact?
- DON’T JUST BROADCAST: ENGAGE & ENABLE
Communication today is multi-directional. Communicators need to help citizens participate in the conversation and share their thoughts. Messages that highlight interconnectedness and shared responsibilities can boost engagement and support for sustainable development.
- SHARE FACTS AND EMOTIONS
Numbers are not enough to build trust and public support. Communicators need to engage citizens emotionally, with messages that build hope and relate to people’s daily lives, brought to them by messengers to whom our audiences relate.
- MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE
Sitting here waiting for audiences to visit our websites or attend our events does not work. Let’s meet them where they are: cultural events, community organisations, businesses, online discussion groups.
- BECOME A PARTNER
By partnering with others – such as civil society or businesses – public institutions can reach new audiences. And acquire new campaigning and marketing skills.
- JOIN FORCES ACROSS BORDERS
Sustainable development is a global challenge. Communicators achieve greater impact at home when they learn from different countries and collaborate on global campaigns.
In October 2023, communicators from the Ibero-American Region will have the opportunity to further this discussion in SEGIB’s VIII Reunión de los Puntos Focales de Comunicación para la Cooperación Iberoamericana & during the 2023 DevCom Annual Meeting.
These meetings offer a unique opportunity for Ibero-American communicators to exchange ideas, collaborate on global campaigns, and learn from diverse experiences. Working together we can make a lasting impact on the path to sustainable development in the Ibero-American region and beyond.
Featured illustration by Anna Kövecses at Pinterest
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