Resources search

Institutionalising participation and people-centred processes in natural resource management : research and publications highlights

PIMBERT, Michel
Ed
2004

Expand view

This report presents the background and rationale for the IIED-IDS action research on institutionalising participatory approaches and people centered processes in natural resource management. The methodologies used in the different case studies (India, Indonesia, Senegal, Mexico and other settings) are then introduced, along with the complementary studies undertaken in this collaborative research programme. The last section of this report contains highlights of all the publications in the Institutionalising Participation Series, and a summary of each

Trade liberalisation, poverty and livelihoods : understanding the linkages

KANJI, Nazneen
BARRIENTOS, Stephanie
2002

Expand view

A short policy briefing that examines key analytical approaches that are used to understand linkages between trade, poverty and livelihoods, to apply these to Sub-Saharan Africa. Considers the approach of 'mainstream economics' that tends to see the effects of trade liberalisation as positive, and the wider 'socio-economic livelihoods' perspective, which sees liberalisation in a less positive light. Concludes that the two approaches are incompatible in that they refer to different 'domains' of understanding. Explores three potentially promising approaches to integrate the approaches; a 'value chain' analysis that looks at inclusion or exclusion from international networks of trade and regulation; a gender perspective that considers economics as a 'gendered structure'; and a 'sustainable development perspective' that attempts to more accurately assess the environmental impact of trade liberalisation

Petals and thorns : the dilemmas of PLA and debt bondage

BUSZA, Joanna
XAKHA, Hom Em
DA, Ly Saranda
et al
February 2001

Expand view

Successful participatory activities rely on community interest and enthusiasm. The very involvement of participants is assumed to demonstrate their consent, and the number of activities or rates of attendance often serve as process indicators for monitoring a project. However, what if community members do not control their daily movements? This article examines the dilemmas faced by a community development project working with debt-bonded sex workers in Cambodia. It outlines the ethical concerns that the project team has faced so far, and described in detail what steps were taken to try to address the most important of these issues: that of consent

Participation and sustainability in social projects : the experience of the local development programme (PRODEL) in Nicaragua

STEIN, Alfredo
2001

Expand view

This paper describes the work of the Local Development Programme (PRODEL) in the eight cities in Nicaragua where it provided low-income groups with small grants for infrastructure and community works projects, and loans for housing improvement and micro-enterprises. Donor funds were matched by municipal, community, and household contributions. Between 1994 and 1998 more than 38,000 households benefited and both loan programmes achieved good levels of cost recovery. The paper describes the micro-planning workshops and other methodologies, and explains how local governments and the bank responsible for managing the loans learned to work in a more participatory way, and it outlines the measures taken to ensure that the needs and priorities of women and children were addressed. The paper considers lessons learned in sustaining the initiatives and institutionalising citizen participation in social programmes, and describes how PRODEL's methods have come to be used by central and local governments in other programmes. [Publisher's abstract]

Worker-led participatory research and evaluation : lessons from the real world : reflections of the SREPP participants

ECKMAN, A
MCQUISTON, T
LIPPON, T
2000

Expand view

In 1997, four US union health and safety training programmes entered into a three-year, multi-union learning action-research collaborative, the Self-sufficiency Research and Evaluation Pilot Project (SREPP). This initiative sought to build the research and evaluation capacities of the participating unions' training by offering a new model of participatory learning and action in the area of worker health and safety. Existing examples of participatory action research in this field have tended to concentrate on single worksites and start with a stakeholder labour management model. By contrast, this project has sought to foster participatory learning across programmes from a union perspective. It uses and expands on the peer-training model to institutionalise a new base of worker produced knowledge. During the last of SREPP’s four training workshops participants reflected on their experiences in the project through a series of participatory activities. In this article the background to the project is followed by the words of SREPP participants describing what it takes to learn about and do participatory evaluation in the context of union-based, worker-led health and safety training programmes. This includes a look at what was learned and how, as well as supports and barriers to participatory evaluation and the model that they have developed

Critical reflections from practice [whole issue]

GUIJT, Irene
Ed
October 1995

Expand view

Revisits the principles and practice of participatory rural appraisal in several articles. Addresses concerns and differing perspectives. Interrogates the concept of participation, and implicitly suggests ways forward that empower and include vulnerable groups in development

Participatory monitoring and evaluation

February 1988

Expand view

One of the PLA Notes special editions, includes articles on: tracking change together; monitoring and evaluating in the Nepal-UK Community Forest Project; particpatory self-evaluation of World Neighbors, Burkino Faso; institutional issues for monitoring local development in Ecuador; growing from the grassroots: building participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation methods in PARC; ELF - 3 year impact evaluation: experiences and insights; Participatory monitoring and evaluation in flood proofing pilot project, CARE-Bangladesh

E-bulletin