Sangeetha Purushothaman, Huairou Commission, Best Practices Foundation Strategies, Barriers and Policies towards Creating a More Inclusive Society Sangeetha Purushothaman, Huairou Commission, Best Practices Foundation UNESCO Headquarters 10-13 September 2007

What has exclusion meant in India? It has meant historically that several communities are unable to participate effectively in the process of development, economically, socially and politically.

Structure of the Presentation Situating critical importance of participation of local communities in the larger debates, Strategies to facilitate participation of marginalized communities Advantages and limitations of these strategies. Gaps that need to be addressed Institutional arrangements and capacity building measures to improve participation of all sections of local communities

Situating Participation in the Development Debate Development without Participation Development with Participation Community Driven Goals Participatory Planning Implementation with people’s participation Sustainable Outcomes Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Goals Planning Implementation Outcomes Monitoring and Evaluation

Situating Participation in the Rights Debate Democracy without Participation Democracy with Participation Democracy Empowerment Full Realization Of Citizenship Political Rights Status Rights Economic Political Social Democracy Status of Citizenship Empowerment Full Realization Of Citizenship

Interventions to Address Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty Economic Empowerment Social Empowerment Political Empowerment Community Mobilization Community run microfinance (Mf) institutions and Services Research And Advocacy Livelihood strategies Integrated Livelihood Strategy With Mf Services Linking With Banks For Sustainability. Natural Resource Management Vocational Training. Awareness on economic Programs And Entitlements Advocacy towards greater access to and control over resources Rights Awareness And Legal Literacy Awareness On Programs and Entitlements (health, education and other social entitlement programmes) Operationalizing and Monitoring Of Social Programmes and Social Indicators Gender Sensitization Gender planning, and budgeting Build women’s institutions (federations and Women’s courts) Advocacy towards access to social rights Capacity building of local government Capacity building of local government on participatory planning. Link CBOs and local government Train to contest elections (Pre and Post-election) Train CBOs on local government roles Train CBOs on participation in local assemblies Expose CBOs to Government Departments Leverage public infrastructure investment to complement SHG enterprises. Monitoring delivery of public goods and services Advocacy on good governance

Outcomes of Interventions Economic Empowerment Social Empowerment Political Empowerment Increased access to and control over resources by the poor and marginalized communities Increased exercise of rights by marginalized populations Increased power and decision making in the hands of marginalized communities

Common strategies used by all Approaches Community Mobilization Capacity Building Networking, Justice Delivery Mechanisms and Advocacy Convergence

The Participation Framework: Development, Rights and Sustainability Economic Political Social Rights Democracy Status of Citizenship Empowerment Full Realization Of Citizenship Goals Community Mobilization Capacity Building Justice Delivery Mechanisms, Networking and Advocacy Convergence Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Implementation Outcomes Participation Sustainable Livelihoods

Questions for Discussion Community Mobilization What is the role of the State in mobilizing communities? What types of Linkages are needed between formal and informal CBOs? What New Institutional Arrangements necessary for higher level decision making (Federations)? What kinds of Partnerships are needed between State and Civil society institutions?

Questions for Discussion Capacity Building How to integrate rights and development interventions? How to synergise different strategies across sectors? How to build capacities of government to respond to needs of CBOs and each other?

Questions for Discussion What kinds of Institutional arrangements are needed for CBOs at various levels to have a voice in decision making? CBOs and government to partner? Convergence?

Questions for Discussion How to facilitate convergence From above and below? Across traditional divides (rights/development, urban/rural, national/local)

Questions for Discussion How to centre stage grassroots’ women?