ActionAid

The ActionAid Participatory Methodologies Forum 2001, which was hosted by AA Bangladesh, attracted 44 participants from 20 countries. This was an unprecedented gathering of key people working at different levels in different vertical or horizontal functions across ActionAid.  The forum was initially conceived as a space to share experiences around participatory methodologies, adapting them to the new strategic direction of ActionAid.

This resource book explores the theme of power. It discusses key issues about what power is, how it is used and what role power plays in change processes. It presents tools for analysing power and practical strategies for civil society practitioners to manoeuvre and negotiate through the webs of hidden power towards more inclusive people centred development.

Debates about genetically modified (GM) corps in India have largely centered on their benefits, as espoused by scientists, transnational corporations and the government, excluding the farmers who grow the crops. This video documents the process by which Karnataka farmers held a citizen's jury over 5 days, to assess potential advantages and disadvantages of GM crops. The jury comprised eight female and six male farmers, and was held in the village of Bommagondakare. The jury questioned witnesses from biotechnology companies, national government, NGOs and farmers' groups.

This collection of lessons from the field brings together the experiences of ActionAid's newly adopted approach to annual reviews: participatory reviews and reflections. These processes allow communities to challenge the organisation over the way money is raised and spent, the ability to demand greater openness and flexibility, and the possibility of raising rights issues. Review and reflection is a key part of ActionAid's 'accountability, learning and planning' system (ALPS), which makes accountability to the poor and marginalised central.

This booklet presents a brief overview of a technique used by ActionAid (an International Development organisation) for project planning and reporting. This new system emphasises the importance of attitudes and behaviours that promote participation and inclusion of all affected (focussing especially on the poor and on women) in decision-making as well as project planning and execution.

ActionAid's Impact Assessment Unit convened a five-day workshop in Oct 1999 in Malawi. The focus of the workshop was the use of video as a participatory tool for development. In this report, examples of videos from Malawi, Ghana and Pakistan are drawn on to illustrate the potential use of participatory video. The pros and cons of video as a tool to understand change are also discussed.

These two CD-ROMs present a review of three yearÆs action research that has been undertaken in ActionAidÆs country programmes in Malawi and Sierra Leone. The aim of the research was to test the idea that poor communities are left outside the loop of negotiations about their own futures, because of barriers presented by language, literacy and access to those in power. The objective of the research has been to facilitate resource-poor communities to analyse and represent their own needs and priorities.

This is the report from a meeting of 49 people engaged in advocacy and citizen participation efforts in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, North America and Europe. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together activists, researchers, trainers and other practitioners to discuss the challenges and successes of citizen-centred advocacy in different country contexts. This report aims to capture key lessons and recommendations to help donors and international NGOs refine their support strategies for training and action in participatory advocacy.

This consultants report provides a framework for ActionAidÆs fundraising and communications activities in Greece, Ireland, Italy and UK. It examines income, expenditure and profitability; resource allocation and investment; number of supporters; communications and public campaigning; organisational infrastructure; and international fundraising for ActionAid in the four countries.