The XII Annual Research Congress on the Third Sector, which took place in Mexico City on 10-11 September, was a successful international forum that brought together the most recent data related to the Mexican non-profit sector.

According to INEGI, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, in 2008 Mexican non-profit institutions contributed 273.6 billion pesos to the added value of the economy. Educational organizations have the most significant participation with 50 per cent of the resources, followed by civic organizations (13 per cent) and health and social assistance organizations (7 per cent). Other activities account for the remaining 30 per cent of the total amount.

Other pieces of data that came to light include:

• The contribution of Mexican non-profit organizations represents almost 1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Volunteering in Mexico represents 11 per cent of the total added value of the economy.
• 1.3 per cent of the Mexican population is employed by non-profit institutions.

INEGI has created the Satellite Account of the Non-profit Institutions to compile comprehensive data on the scale, participation and economic impact of the activities developed by non-profit institutions. It is hoped that this research will highlight the importance of the non-profit sector for the economy, and boost recognition of the sector in wider society.

For more information
http://www.cemefi.org/reunion