Address of Welcome at Discussion Session on Participatory Sustainable Development: Putting the Last First
This transcript of a speech discusses the origins and importance of participatory development approaches which aim to 'put the last first'. It argues that marginalisation is due to historical (colonial rule) and structural (social hierarchy) reasons. It emphasises that the poor are not the object of development but the subject. Promoting critical consciousness is therefore a key to sustainable participatory development. the implications of this approach for development projects, technology, gender and environment are discussed.