There can be no authentic participation without empowerment Essay Example

Chambers in Rural Development: Putting People First (1983) and Cernea's Putting People First: Sociological Variables in Rural Development (1985) both of which helped mainstream participation into development. Chambers 'new methodologies which emphasised the value of participation, listening instead of preaching, and the untapped ability of poor people to identify and analyse problems for themselves using simple techniques and visual expressions such as maps and drawings' (Edwards, 1999 p214)Today, the use of participatory tools and methods has spread dramatically and is used in a wide number of sectors across the world and is espoused by NGO's, bilateral and multi-laterals alike to make projects more efficient, effective and sustainable (McGee, 20002 p 95). So quickly has the influence of participation spread that to some it 'has become an act of faith in development, something we believe in and rarely question.

' (Cleaver, 2001 p36)What is Participation?With the rapid spread of participation it has come to mean many different things and is defined in different ways. One definition is framed by neo-liberal/liberal theory of self sufficiency and autonomy where participation is seen as way of reducing poverty and raising the standards of governance-both of which are essential to achieving sustainable development. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) 1997 White Paper entitled 'Eliminating Poverty' summarises this well when it states that:'One of the main constraints to effective development assistance is an imperfect understanding of social, economic, political and physical environments. We will find local solutions to local problems and involve local people and institutions in the process...

Getting it right means not only investing in effective relationships but in pushing back the boundaries of shared knowledge, understanding the problems which

constrain sustainable development' (DFID: 1997, p48)Another definition of participation is that of co-opting practice, to mobilize local labour and reduce costs. In this case the local community contributes their time and effort in what essentially remains 'our project' rather than their local project (Chambers 1995). A third and most common definition is when participation is 'an empowering process which enables local people to do their own analysis, to take command, to gain in confidence and to make their own decisions' (Chambers, 1995 p30) In this process local people are empowered to own 'their project' and outsiders are mere participants to facilitate ownership.Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)Participative processes varyParticipation and EmpowermentEmpowerment is the key objective behind participationNelson and Wright (1995 p1) made a distinction between participation as a means and participation as an endEmpowerment approaches enable people to transform their situations by strengthening their capacities, giving them the ability to act and make their own decisions.ConclusionFor greater empowerment to be achieved there is a need for more empirical analysis on whether and how the structures of participation can lead to further empowerment.

With Foucault's analysis of power in mind there is also a need to simultaneously understand and address the power structures that perpetuate disempowerment. 'Hegemonic or global forms of power rely in the first instance on those 'infinitesimal' practices, composed of their own particular techniques and tactics, which exist in those institutions on the fringes or at the micro-level of society' (Foucault 1980, p 99) Ultimately, such a people focused approach is at the mercy of whether or not the facilitator has the effective skills to lead debates, discussions and has the right attitude to affect

change.