ABSTRACT

Community participation (CP) is an indispensable part of many development programmes and projects encouraged by national governments, the World Bank, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Despite the differing perspectives of these various agencies, all agree that CP should be encouraged. Actions by the poor to influence decision making through direct and informal means have emerged as an alternative way by which they can gain access to decision-making processes and to resources, and thereby improve their well-being.