The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) introduced the VISOR social map system (version 2.0) with the support of UNICEF.
It is an online tool that encourages transparency and accountability, as well as citizen participation in decision-making. It also provides geo-referenced demographic and socio-economic information.
The social maps show the 75 priority districts within the framework of the Bridge to Development Program for the attention of extreme poverty in order to provide knowledge of territorial areas of interest.
In addition, it allows to see in detail characteristics of these areas for public decision making that promote social development.
The VISOR also allows the population to have information that supports their requests for support to municipalities or public entities, as well as their localities and social actions that contribute to their well-being such as scholarships, housing bonds, and others.
It is necessary that the information allows us to know where and how children live. Go beyond national averages and see their faces through the information we produce. We have the obligation and challenge of knowing where they are and how they live,”
said UNICEF Representative Costa Rica, Gordon Jonathan Lewis.
This tool will also act as a “mega database of Costa Rica”, that will be strengthen by municipalities and public institutions such as the Mixed Social Assistance Institute (IMAS), the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), the National Institute of Learning (INA) and the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), by means of information.
The social map viewer is available at mapasociales.inec.cr