Community Empowerment

Participation and the challenges of self-empowerment in community-led development, 2019

The introduction of participatory approaches was seen to enhance project effectiveness and ownership of development efforts and foster empowerment of the poor. However, post-development critiques presented by Escobar (1995) continue to reveal that participatory activities and projects still mask hidden mechanisms of top-down power. Consequently, participation doesn’t mean sharing the power to define how communities might engage with, or direct a project, or what the project might look like in relation to the different types of stakeholders and the cultural tensions present in communities -such as gender or status relations. Despite the post-development critiques of participation, it remains an important mechanism in the project design of international development initiatives. It does, however, require innovation and updating to improve the distribution or transfer of decision-making power and resources across all project stakeholders.

Participatory development currently occupies a prominent and important position in community development practice and discourses (Schafft & Greenwood, 2003). There is a growing increase in the demand for community participation in development projects, with its resultant challenges, advantages, disadvantages and benefits (Alli, N1 & Emery, nd). Participation is a matter on which there is considerable disagreement among development scholars and practitioners. However, it is considered to be an active process by which beneficiary groups influence the direction and execution of a development project. Community participation is the process of seeking and facilitating the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision (Mdunyelwa, 2008). The principle of citizen participation holds that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process. Community participation may be regarded as a way of empowerment and as vital part of democratic governance. The purposes of citizen participation are to promote transparency, encourage openness in government, and build ownership of development decisions as well as programmes and projects. Community participation encourages citizens to be more engaged in the decision-making processes that have an impact on their local community. It also serves to advance citizens' understanding of how government works and confers upon them the capacity to access governmental decision-making processes. The linkage between citizen participation and community sustainable development is clear. Community participation aims at bridging the gap between the government, civil society, private sector and the general public, building a common understanding about the local situation, priorities and programmes. Citizen participation encourages openness, promote accountability transparency, strengthen commitment of all stakeholders towards improved governance, and directly limit the potential for corruption.

Educational Theory and Practice Across Disciplines. Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan. 389 – 408 pp. ISBN 978 – 978 – 946 – 490 – 6., 2015

The author believes that the development of the communities is very crucial in the overall context of national development and that the involvement of communities in such an endeavour must be encouraged in spite of factors which may hinder active community participation in development programmes. Generally, communities need proper social mobilization so that they can participate and maintain reliable status quo in their locality. It is easier for them to speak with one voice when they are brought together. This is why social mobilization yields progress. Communities are important in any developmental programme; thus, they must be actively integrated in the overall process of developmental programme. This paper concludes that community development programmes can only succeed when community participation is seen as crucial and complementary to social mobilization and that effective community involvement are important aspects and drivers of development. It is, therefore recommended that communities be socially mobilized and encouraged to form associations for development programme initiatives. Social workers, governments, philanthropists and non-governmental organizations should organize enlightenment programmes that would encourage community members to participate more fully in development programmes.

The paper is a scrutiny of the interface of community participation, empowerment and sustainability of development projects. It problematises the interplay of numerous dynamics which militate against empowerment of participants and beneficiaries in poverty alleviation projects. This analysis proceeded through a juxtaposition of the nature of participation at every level of a development project cycle with the principles of participation in order to identify barriers militating against effective institutionalization of participation for empowerment and sustainability. This endeavor ensued through a multi-case study approach drawn from numerous case scenarios from different development projects. The discussion were guided by the conceptual lens of the People-Centered Development Approach as a framework of analysis and point of departure for the vindication of the deconstruction of the orthodox development paradigms such as the modernisation perspective in their top-down approach which culminated in unintended consequences of massive disempowerment (underdevelopment) of communities due to incompatible prescriptions. This developmental paradox sardonically represents a macrocosm of the microcosm, which if left to proceed unchecked, would erect a bad precedence which reaffirms the futility of effective participation for sustainability of development projects and ultimately empowerment.

A term paper which defines empowerment and participation and their impact in community development.

2002

The U.S. has not had a rural policy since the Rural Life Commission in 1908. Instead, we have assumed that sectoral programs subsidizing agriculture, timber harvesting, mining, or manufacturing would solve the problems of rural development and rural poverty. And when those areas with the highest levels of subsidies were also areas of highest poverty, individual programs in terms of income transfer programs were implemented to indirectly address problems of underdevelopment. Place was dealt with only in terms of infrastructure, with roads or housing or water systems or digital connectivity viewed as the magic bullet to offset the disadvantages of distance and dispersion. Only recently has the U.S. moved to place based programs. These programs, like those in Europe, present a different model of development, with drivers from within the community. Participatory community-led development has proved effective in creating jobs, income, and hope (Flora et al. 1997). Community-led development, particularly in rural areas, is not simply a matter of money. It is a matter of hope and of participatory processes toward collective goals and toward increased community leadership capacity over time. There is a great deal of evidence that investing in community capacity contributes greatly to community-led development (Kissler et al. 1998; Gilat and Blair 1997). Participation is more than having meetings and presenting decisions. It means "rethinking the underlying roles of, and relationships between, administrators and citizens"(King et al. 1998: 317). At its best, community-led development means moving away from paternalism or hopelessness to active collective engagement. A case in point is the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) process, which over time has learned of the critical role of community capacity building as a necessary and sufficient contributor for sustainable community-led development, particularly in areas of high poverty. Community-led development moves beyond citizens stating their needs and government agencies responding. Citizens from diverse situations analyze their situations and discuss alternatives, gathering resources to move toward priority goals from inside and outside the community. About the EZ/EC Program One of the most important policy developments in the field of community development in recent years is the enactment in 1993 of the EZ/EC program. 1 This program, implemented in three "rounds" in 1994, 1998 and 2001, resulted in the designation of 58 rural communities as Empowerment Zones (EZ) or Enterprise Communities (EC). For the most part, only areas with high poverty rates were eligible to apply. 2 Applications for the program consisted of community-developed strategic plans. The program's

In development studies, we use participatory communication approaches to facilitate community participation in development initiatives. Participatory communication is a powerful tool to facilitate the process of development by accompanying the local development dynamics. It is about encouraging community participation with development initiatives through a strategic utilization of various communication strategies. This article defines the concepts and methodology of participatory communication while keeping the ground realities in mind to the members of development agencies, development practitioners working with communities, community members involved in development activities and to all the communication and development practitioners involved in the field of development communication. The article is basically intended to explain how researchers and practitioners can improve communication with local communities and other stakeholders while using a two-way communication approach to enhance community participation in development initiatives and to improve the capacity of communities to participate in the management of their own resources.

Community empowerment and sustainable development reforms, with its emphasis on rewarding quality and cutting costs, could change the landscape of howrural communities can achieve the quality of life in the developing countries like Pakistan. The paper explores the relationship between community empowerment, sense of community and sustainability of community-driven (CD) projects. Starting from the experience of CD organizations (i.e. the Citizen Community Boards in Pakistan), the paper attempts to answer two questions: (i) is there a relationship between community empowerment and project sustainability; (ii) is this relationship between community empowerment and project sustainability mitigated by the sense of community? and (iii) to determine the impact of community empowerment through the moderating role of sense of community on sustainability of CD projects. Furthermore, paper elaborates on the concepts of “community empowerment”, “sustainability” and “sense of community”. A hierarchical regression analysis is used to test the relationship between community empowerment and sustainability of CD projects. This analysis highlights the central role of the sense of community in mitigating the relationship between community empowerment and sustainability. Community empowerment is significantly related to the sense of community and helping communities in improving the quality of their lives.

Poverty Reduction and Pro-Poor Growth, 2012

Poor people live their daily lives at the local level where they engage with the state, public services, markets and the political system. Their empowerment requires participation and accountability in local governance and decision making through effective and inclusive local citizenship. Supporting inclusion requires an understanding of existing power relationships and the practical obstacles to participation faced by poor people. Public sector decentralisation is an important opportunity for empowerment through increased accountability for public expenditure allocations and local delivery of pro-poor policies. Capacity development, for both communities and citizens, must promote leadership and facilitation, communication, advocacy and political skills. Widely available, transparent and substantive information is a critical but easily achievable first step in capacity development. All development aidmodalities can support local empowerment and donors should coordinate to identify and maximise opportunities for empowerment at the local level. Empowerment through local citizenship Catherine Dom (Mokoro) on behalf of Irish Aid Poverty reduction and Pro-Poor Growth: the role of emPowerment-© oecd 2012 3. emPowerment throuGh local citizenshiP 3. Empowerment through local citizenship catherine dom (mokoro) on behalf of irish aid Poor people live their daily lives at the local level where they engage with the state, public services, markets and the political system. Their empowerment requires participation and accountability in local governance and decision making through effective and inclusive local citizenship. Supporting inclusion requires an understanding of existing power relationships and the practical obstacles to participation faced by poor people. Public sector decentralisation is an important opportunity for empowerment through increased accountability for public expenditure allocations and local delivery of pro-poor policies. Capacity development, for both communities and citizens, must promote leadership and facilitation, communication, advocacy and political skills. Widely available, transparent and substantive information is a critical but easily achievable first step in capacity development. All development aid modalities can support local empowerment and donors should coordinate to identify and maximise opportunities for empowerment at the local level. Poverty reduction and Pro-Poor Growth: the role of emPowerment-© oecd 2012 3. emPowerment throuGh local citizenshiP Empowerment: happens when people, individually or collectively, conceive of, define and pursue better lives for themselves. from a Pro-Poor Growth perspective, poor women and men need to change existing power relations and gain and exert influence over the political, economic and social processes that determine and, all too often, constrain their livelihood opportunities. Pro-poor growth is economic growth occurring at a pace and with a pattern such that this enhances the ability of poor people to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from growth.

2020

The objective of this research is to highlight from the theoretical perspective the key determinants of effective community participation in development programs. Indeed, effective community participation in development programs is considered by many scholars and development practitioners as one of the ingredients for sustaining development programs. However, as a catalyst for programs sustainability, this paper makes a case that community participation can only serve its intended purpose of ensuring that development programs at the community level are sustainable only when a number of factors are well articulated and instituted or addressed. Based on this articulation, this paper employed a theoretical literature review approach to critically examine the determining factors for effective community participation in development programs from a theoretical point of view. Keywords: Community Development, Community Participation, Development Programs, Participation