Resources

This critical essay is published as part of the institutionalising participation project, which explores the dynamics of institutionalising people-centred processes and participatory approaches for natural resource management. This book in particular examines the evolution of policymaking in natural resource management and the emphasis on community control over planning, implementation and management of projects in the specific contexts of watersheds. It traces the major trends in policy over a decade from the landmark 1995 guidelines for watershed development to the Haryali guidelines of 2003, and the incorporation of participatory approaches. The report indicates that a well-drafted policy is not enough to achieve a complex set of objectives, and looks at how organisational cultures and capacities need to be considered. It also argues that local people need to be involved directly. The report is based on a case study of five districts in Andhra Pradesh and draws on the wider experiences of some government agencies, NGOs, research, donors and secondary literature.

This manual is designed for trainers and facilitators who have an interest in improving the facilitation skills of field workers in the context of community forestry development. The manual is designed as part of a facilitation training package supported by a training video that helps the trainer bring real life scenes from the field into the classroom. The training sessions described have been effectively used within a wide range of audiences all over Asia, including field workers, extension workers, college teachers and managers. Practical suggestions are given for how to adapt and use the manual for different target groups and contexts. The focus of the manual is on the facilitation of groups and group processes in meetings. The manual is divided into 9 main sections, including preparing for the job; setting the context of the training; participatory decision-making; facilitation fundamentals; core roles of a facilitator; practicing facilitation skills; integrating skillsÆ optional sessions and annexes.|The video lasts for 2 hours and is designed to accompany the training manual. It consists of a series of short film clips that are self-contained and can be watched separately. Each clip shows a sequence of scenes of a facilitator in action or interviewed reflecting on their experiences. The video is divided into 4 main sections: basics, roles, challenges and skills. Within each section, specific issues are addressed such as what is facilitation; role of the facilitator; attitudes and group dynamics; integrating tools into the meeting process; dealing with controversial issues; dealing with dominance and facilitating multi-stakeholder meetings; facilitating reflection and using energisers.

This article provides a general overview of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) approach, listing the main international institutions that were involved in the initiation of the approach in 1999 and the main principles underpinning the approach. The article analyses the PRSP experience by looking at some of the main principles to assess the formulation, monitoring and implementation of the PRS processes and contents on the part of civil society. The analysis is based on a review of secondary sources and existing literature. The article concludes by suggesting that PRSPs can be credited for marginal improvements in poverty orientation and opening up policy debate. However PRSPs can also be criticised for not being based on processes that promote country ownership and accountability. The article mentions the links between power dynamics and policy choices, and in turn explores the link with conditionality used by International Financial Institutions. To improve PRSPs, the author argues that PRSPs need to be anchored in national budgetary and parliamentary processes for greater accountability.

This article looks at the experiences of the Social Enterprise Development Foundation of West Africa (SEND Foundation) in building the capacity of civil society groups and local government officials in resource-poor northern Ghana. The article uses these experiences as a case study to explore how the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) engages pro-poor and grassroots civil society organisations in facilitating participatory economic development in their local communities. The article has a two-fold focus on capacity building: increasing knowledge and understanding of the GPRS with civil society, and developing participatory monitoring and evaluation skills. The focus is on the Ghana HIPC Watch, which is a pilot project that aims to be a mechanism through which civil society organisations can engage in policy monitoring and evaluation. The central concerns of equity and accountability, particularly in terms of gender, emerged as important issues.

The article examines how the Poverty Eradication Plan (PEAP) process started in Uganda, focusing on how civil society has participated in its revision processes spanning monitoring, evaluation and implementation. The article looks at the challenges of civil society organisation involvement and provides some suggestions for more meaningful participation that can bring about changes in policy and implementation in Uganda. The article concludes by saying that existing levels of participation are inadequate. If participation is to be meaningful, it is important that the various stakeholders can access information that will enable them to make informed decisions and input into policy-making.

This article explores links between the social unrest in Bolivia in October 2003 and the processes involved in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Poverty reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). The article suggests that the participation of civil society organisations has been limited and ineffective in these processes for a number of reasons. The author analyses the role that civil society has played in monitoring and implementing the PRSP, focusing on how the Grupo Nacional de Trabajo para la Participacion (GNTP) has worked with the government, NGOs and other civil society organisations. Specifically, the author looks at one case of successful peopleÆs participation in Vallegrande and concludes by drawing out lessons learnt from the Bolivian experience. These include: bottlenecks for peopleÆs participation can in part be overcome by strengthening networks and learning communities; key factors enabling peopleÆs participation in PRSP processes include government openness to participatory processes, access to information, organisational capacity within civil society organisation and commitment to participatory processes; and the role that South-South exchanges can have in strengthening learning communities.