More than 70% of the world’s population lives in a condition of informality, that is outside of formal market structures, with little or no access to formalized markets and insecure property rights, lacking formally recognized rights to property. Without such recognized property rights, much of the world’s poor are trapped in a cycle of poverty. This project aims to draw attention to this widespread challenge through a feature-length documentary and offer a path forward out of informality. Drawing from economist Elena Panaritis’ pioneering methodology, work in Peru, and elsewhere, the project calls to form a pivotal alliance for change to deliver what traditional systems have failed to do: Drive prosperity to shift the informals into the middle class through property rights.
Informality is mainly a result of an overwhelming bureaucracy that damages economic growth by failing to secure property rights. Demonstrating how formally recognized property rights can help reduce global poverty and bring the world’s poor into the middle class, this project will examine cases studies where local and indigenous groups were able to implement reforms leading to more secure property rights. This project will support the first phase of development for the full-length documentary. The project leaders will assemble a production team, produce the script, trailer, and initial materials for the documentary, and work closely with a “change team” of experts, philanthropists, and leaders around the world, launching a campaign to bring more support and attention to the project, as well as greater attention to the importance of secure property rights in economic development.
