- Processes in which people with a legitimate interest (stakeholders) influence and share control over development initiatives and the decisions and resources that affect them. In other words:
~ Involvement of stakeholders in all phases of a development project cycle. ~ Promotion of the role of civil society in the development process. ~ Use of participatory methodologies to help ensure real and meaningful participation by all, especially including those who may be illiterate. ~ A full commitment by all to allow real stakeholder participation to become a part of any normal development process.
'''2. Why use participatory methodologies?'''
Participation can:
- Improve project design by: ~ Giving more accurate data on environmental, social and cultural issues. ~ Giving better understanding of stakeholders’ felt needs and priorities. - Help resolve / manage conflict by: ~ Identifying common ground.~ Finding solutions that serve the needs of all. - Strengthen local institutional capacities such as:~ Management skills. ~ Self-reliance. ~ Self-esteem and confidence. ~ Transparency and accountability. ~ Access to greater resources. - Provide better monitoring of the equitable distribution of the benefits, so that:
- Help resolve / manage conflict by: ~ Identifying common ground. ~ Finding solutions that serve the needs of allRemedial action can be taken quickly and easily.
- Strengthen local institutional capacities such as: ~ Management skills. ~ Self-reliance. ~ Self-esteem and confidence. ~ Transparency Fairness and accountabilitycommitment are ensured. ~ Access to greater resourcesImproved credibility of the processes is ensured.
- Provide better monitoring of the equitable distribution of the benefits, so that:
~ Remedial action can be taken quickly and easily.
~ Fairness and commitment are ensured.
~ Improved credibility of the processes is ensured.
People look after things better when they have been part of decision making and implementation, than when others have planned and implemented for them. The solution may not be the best, but it is their solution and they are therefore more likely to maintain and support it.
By, interpreting or ‘unpacking’ these principles in the context of sustainable development, we understand that:
- Development is people-centred. - Development is not a process in a single direction, but a process of continuous adaptation, problem solving and exploitation of opportunities. The reasons why problems occur are always complex and often circular in nature, never simple or linear. - Local conditions are diverse and complex and change rapidly. - Even though people may be poor, they are knowledgeable and capable of self-reliant organisation. All individuals in a community have the ability to understand their own development opportunities and constraints. - There must be community participation in and ownership of all processes. - Communities must take responsibility for decision making and action planning. - Communities must be able to make informed, appropriate local choices. - Communities must take responsibility for implementation. - Communities must take responsibility for sustaining their actions. - Local capacity development must be built into the process. - Governments, development organisations and development professionals must transform to put poor people, their ideas and insights, first.
'''4. Strengths and weaknesses of participatory methodologies'''
Evaluations of participatory methodologies have demonstrated the following strengths:
- Community management of projects is achievable. - Commitment is considerable as these projects are owned and managed by local communities. - Local people, regardless of economic means, are willing and able to contribute both financial and human resources to their development if they feel they have played the central role in the planning, design and implementation of the project. - The chances of interventions being sustainable are greatly improved. - ‘Spin-off’ internal development initiatives are frequent. - The need for government subsidies for services is reduced or eliminated in projects with a participatory focus.
Many people have viewed participatory methodologies as ‘soft’, ‘unscientific’ and time consuming1. And, despite the growing popularity of participatory approaches to development, the reality is that qualitative programming does not command the same respect or have the same influence in the policy making process as quantitative inquiries. These concerns have been challenged by many that utilise participatory approaches in the field, but this debate is beyond the scope of this guide.
Common weaknesses of participatory programming that should be borne in mind include:
- The lack of clarity about the nature and dynamics of ‘participation’, including how power relations at local level can often shape participatory programmes. - The assumption that facilitators are neutral observers in the process is misguided. - The reality that much of what is labelled participatory is in fact extractive. - The wrong assumption that participatory methodologies are, by themselves, empowering. - The reality that tools can be manipulated to ensure an outcome that fits with what the facilitator wants. - The tendency of the analysis to be anecdotal or to give great significance to the insights generated by a relatively small number of unspecified participants. - The reality, that many participatory approaches are now being applied like a blueprint. Reasons are complex, but are mainly because facilitators and planners do not have a clear understanding of the participatory methodologies and their principles.