Zooming in on the importance of creating with communities and not only for them
A people-centred development seeks to return control over resources to people and their communities to be used in meeting their own needs. In this particular situation, a people-centred development within a project can be achieved by allowing the beneficiaries to participate in the development process. Not only will their participation be done through their determination to improve their living conditions, but it will also allow for the beneficiaries to voice their needs and work to acquire them. The latter is an example of a “bottom-up” approach to development, whereby the needs of the disadvantaged are voiced and heard in development processes.
People-centred development has become a central value and strategy for a variety of reasons including efficiency, equity, and social cohesiveness. Participation has a variety of meanings, focused on sharing in activities by entitlement or right, which derive from basic constructs of democratic theory. Previous studies and precedences have proven that inclusionary decision-making is best because all stakeholders are involved and there is a strong element of distinct accountability and transparency within the development process.
People-centred development means ‘ground up development’ – empowering local communities. Because of this, there are potentially thousands of pathways to development. At a national level, we believe that any development projects embarked upon should embody one important core principle – Inclusivity – they should be democratic, bottom up, not top down – they should be designed with communities.
Nowadays the role of people participation in planning and decision making is so important that the ability to involve and engage citizens and community dwellers in decision making is considered as one of the necessary skills of successful urban planners.
We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than that which divides us.
JO COX MP
Community (people) participation has received increased attention in international and national policy in recent years. It is considered important as an end in itself (as a democratic right), as well as a means to the achievement of sustainable development and poverty alleviation. One of the potential outcomes of community participation as an end in itself is the transformation of development relations, allowing the opportunity for both facilitators/implementers and the communities to take part in the decision-making process. As a means to an end, community participation in development projects is seen as a way to increase resources, improve accountability of development projects to the community they serve, and importantly, be responsive to local needs.
Proper utilisation of public participation strategies together with existing policy objectives in the development projects will bring about successful development and the empowerment of beneficiaries. People-centred development allows for people to gain self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and human dignity.
Based on what has been presented, it becomes clear that public participation as a concept and practice can no longer be avoided by the government or excluded from a development initiative, especially one that aims to be people-centred. Legislative mandates imposed upon national, provincial, and local governments all advocate public participation by all stakeholders and that no individual is to be marginalised.
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