JOURNAL: PARTICIPATION

JOURNAL: PARTICIPATION

List of Acronyms

1. CED- Community Economic Development
2. MKUKUTA- Kiswahili-Mkakati wa Kukua na Kuondoa Umaskini Tanzania
3. CSO – Civil Society Organisation
4. PRS- Poverty Reduction Strategy
5. AIDS- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction p.4

1.1The Conceptualisation p.4

2.0 Participation and empowerment p.4

3.0 Participation in policy making p.5

4.0 Participation and democratization p.6

6.0 Conclusion p.6

Bibliography p.7

2.0 Introduction

This journal discusses the concept of participation as deducted from the literature. There will be some conceptual background followed by some discussion on participation, a few examples and a conclusion. As it is the case with all papers the literature will be linked to the CED concept which is being advocated as a possible solution to many challenges affecting the communities.

1.1The Conceptualisation

The Oxford English Dictionary defines participation as ”taking part in something” Participation is a broad concept and has many branches. For example community participation means involving the communities by empowering them so that they “undertake development activities for themselves. Rwegoshora ( 2006), argues that participation in undertaking research enables the research community to have a sense of ownership over the research findings, recommendations and further steps.

2.0 Participation and empowerment

Lothe etal wrote about community participation in health initiatives and related this as an initiative to foster an empowerment process that can bring about social changes that would benefit oppressed and disadvantaged groups in society (Laverack, 2001,)

Participation they say implies that community members commit themselves, develop decision – making skills and act in ways that it will positively affect their lives and help them achieve social goals. Participation they say implies that community members commit themselves, develop decision.

3.0 Participation in policy making

Mugizi, G of Policy Forum in Tanzania was interviewed by the Guardian and she stressed, “We want people to get engaged in the discussion of policy issues and understand how the stated priorities of the government link to the reality.” Gertrud Mugizi who is coordinating the work of the Policy Forum is eager to engage more people in the development of civil society in Tanzania.
“In Policy Forum we are trying to make the MKUKUTA document more accessible and make people relate it to their own lives. It is in fact possible for people to take part in the monitoring of the PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Program) and indeed necessary in order to enhance the accountability of our politicians”.
“It is not an easy document to access, that is why we published a youth friendly version of it in collaboration with Save the Children.

Other examples in Tanzania include the work of CSOs in the community when they involve them in budget tracking, like Haki Elimu and Hakikazi.

A good example of policy implementation is that organized by Hakikazi , a CSO in Tanzania which has shared that it has organized Participatory Monitoring of the PRSP and pro poor expenditure in selected areas of Arusha Municipal and Arumeru District is to give an indication of how poverty reduction strategies are working in the selected areas. Hakikazi catalysis has built the capacity of selected grassroots communities by using Participatory Action Learning Research from February and September 2003. This has empowered 14 Urban and rural Communities to demand accountability by monitoring and evaluating Poverty PRS budgets targets indicators and activities. Each monitoring community selected two PRS priority sectors to monitor and evaluate with Pima cards. Using PIMA (measure) Cards has resulted in ownership of PRS monitoring and Evaluation by the monitoring communities and they have capacity to continue monitoring other areas.

4.0 Participation and democratisation

In the IDS Publication, Participation Team - Overview it is argued that in recent years there has been an explosion of new opportunities through which people can make their voices heard. Much of this is due to the growing democratization process. This is accompanied by a challenge of making real the rights, policies and processes that can deliver the promise of a better world. The Participation, Power and Social Change Team (PPSC) explore concepts and methods of 'participation' and how they can be used to improve the complex interactions between society and policy.

5. 0 Participation and Research

Participation Team – overview also shares that Focusing on research, innovation and learning in rights-based and participatory approaches, the team works in partnerships with diverse collaborators from around the world to generate ideas and action for social change.
Linking theory and action - Exploring and developing theory both for explaining change and for contributing to making change happen. Furthermore, for communities where there is research on medicines and human beings there are “Community Advisory Boards” formed which include the marginalized people, People Living with AIDS, researchers and ordinary community members to raise awareness and to make the community own research processes. This is very important because it enables communities to appreciate research and are able to perceive what it entails.

6.0 Conclusion

The best home for participation is in the community through CED. This concept is centred on participation. Communities which were formerly silent and indifferent are transformed by CED to be active, reflective and contributors of their development processes. CED aims at Moreover, for communities where there is research on medicines and human beings there are “Community Advisory Boards” formed which include the marginalized people, People Living with AIDS, researchers and ordinary community members to raise awareness and to make the community own research processes. It is interesting to see how the communities once given the opportunity and a bit of empowerment could become venues or centres for economic changes.. Slowly and slowly, they will be able to initiate their own development activities and conduct needs assessment on their own and plan for the utilization of their resources on their own. The CED practitioners have a greater role to play now which should be lesser and lesser as the communities build experience.

Bibliography

1. Participation Team – Overview. About the Participation, Power and Social Change Team. Institute of Development Studies

2. Lothe EA, Daniel M, Snipstad MB and Sveaas N (2007) Strength in Broken Places. Marginalisation and Empowerment

3. Rwegoshora, H M M (2006) AGuide to Social Science Research. Mkuki na Nyota Publishers.