Resources

Situation analysis of the conditions in Porta Farm, an informal settlement 35km west of Harare. Looks at the situation of children to identify possible interventions to assist the most vulnerable groups, and concerned with assessing the extent of application of principles of UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.

Concepts and methods of ‘participation’ are used increasingly to shape policy and deliver services. Such approaches throw new light on complex interactions within and between society and state institutions at all levels. They lead to questions about how different kinds of knowledge and values shape policy choices. What are the societal and political processes through which power operates that inform whose voice is heard and whose is excluded? What is power? Is it about making people act against their best interests; or is it the glue that keeps society together? What are the connections between power and social change? These questions are at the core of research and teaching by the Participation, Power and Social Change Team at IDS, and this IDS Bulletin presents current work on the practice of power in development and the entry points for change. Contributions to this issue, and ways in which power is interrogated, are very varied – despite a shared commitment to exploring its meaning for social change. In categorising power in the way the team has, the intention has not been to offer a comprehensive or exclusive framework for analysis. Rather, a positive spiral between reflection and transformation is constructed, concluding that the role of the action researcher/teacher is to explore with others how power can be harnessed for change, and to work alongside them in tracing and learning from the myriad of micro-level efforts, successes and failures.

This paper describes an approach to action research used by a group of young people in Karamoja, Uganda.  With guidance from experienced facilitators, 13 young people researched the situation of youth in their area over a period of 5 weeks in November/December 2011.  The basic principles used are set out in this paper.  Genuine attempts were made to promote people’s research into their own issues on their own terms.  This included asking questions such as who commissions and pays, how pressed everyone is for resources and time, and how ordinary people – who are not supposed to know how to do research – might suddenly take up the task with confidence and make use of facilitators without being dominated by them.  The paper emphasises the importance of rigour in action research which can appear relaxed but actually is not: it needs to be done carefully and stick to its principles like glue.  The findings of the research are published in a longer report “Strength, Creativity and Livelihoods of Karimojong Youth” which should be read alongside this paper.

In 2013, a group of young Karimojong set out to explore land, peace and customary law in Karamoja.  This book presents their finding on how decisions are made internally between Karimojong and between Karimojong and government on these subjects. 

This report is about the Carnegie UK Trust’s youth programme - The Carnegie Young People Initiative (CYPI) which ran between 1996 and 2007.  Dedicated to promoting young people’s voices in decision-making, the Carnegie Foundation acted so as influence public policy and awareness, work collaboratively with multiple sectors, and to be a catalyst for change.  Much of this report is concerned with the translation of policy commitments into sound practice on the ground.   It charts the lessons learned as well as presenting ideas for further action targeted at government and others