The Impact on Communities in the Absence of Community Governance Systems/Mechanisms By Presad Rathnayake Case Study on Integrated Urban Development Project, Implemented by Practical Action South Asia in Galle and Kurunegala Municipal Council Areas

Contents Introduction Background Methodology Results and Findings Conclusions and recommendations

Introduction Participatory Development Approaches – Introduced in 1970’s – Targeting community participation in development process – Introduced by development agencies Facilitated process Involvement of governing and administrative bodies – Once facilitation is over, the process hardly sustained – Need for moving beyond participation

……Introduction The concept of “good governance” – Evolved in 1960s in Western World Sri Lanka we had community governance systems for more than thousand years – Introduced to development world in 1990s – Mainly in rural development programs with natural resource development and management – Attempts to involve both governing and administration mechanisms in development decision making process

Background Integrated Urban Development Program – Improving Access to Infrastructure services by Urban Poor – Involvement of community in development planning through participatory mechanisms – Involvement of Local Authorities, administration and other stakeholders in decision making and implementation process – Establishments of structures at village and local authority level to engage community in development decision making process – Developing the capacities of community and staff of local authorities on participatory planning and decision making process

…..Background Two project locations – Kurunegala Municipal council area 3 Urban poor settlements – Amman Kovil Mawatha, Wilgoda, Mel Kanda – Galle Municipal Council Area 4 Urban poor settlements – Siyambalagaha watta, Welage watta, Welsonpura, Bombay Castle Estate Time frame – 2007 to 2009 (3 Years)

Methodology Baseline survey – Questionnaire Survey – FGD/ Key Informant Discussions Participatory planning – Capacity building for community leaders on participatory planning Developing village level structures – CBOs/Coordinating committees

…..Methodology Local Authority/other stakeholder engagement in the process – Capacity building on participatory infrastructure service delivery Building collaborations between community and local authorities and/or other stakeholders by introducing Citizen Group Network (CGN)

…..Methodology Post project – Field Observations – Discussions with then CBO leaders – Discussions with local authority staff members

Results and Findings Baseline survey – There are no mechanisms to obtain community participation in development planning – Infrastructure needs of the concerned communities are not addressed Water/Electricity/Access Roads Waste and sanitation – Illegal settlers Service delivery is not priority of local authority Opportunity to exploit – Politically sensitive areas Contribute to the city’s vote base Youth - active campaigners in elections

…..Results and Findings Participatory planning – Capacity development of village leaders Aware the process project is going to be followed Role of community leaders in facilitating the village level planning – Formation of CBOs One CBO in each project village Facilitated planning process and project implementation later stage Leaders represented the village – Two cycles of planning completed Planning initiated with the community – Seven settlement development plans Plans presented to local authority and other stakeholders

…..Results and Findings Local Authority/other stakeholder engagement in the process through capacity building – Field staff engagement in the participatory planning process Community development officer/Grama Niladhari/Samurdhi Niladhari in Galle Public health inspectors/Grama Niladhari in Kurunegala – Responding to priorities identified in participatory plans in delivering services Waste collection, sanitation services

…..Results and Findings Building collaborations and establishing structures – Community managed waste recycling facilities in both Galle and Kurunegala – Citizens Group Network established in Kurunegala Composition of the CGN: CBO Leaders from 3 settlements, Grama Niladhari’s from 3 settlements, Assistant Commissioner, Chief PHI and PHIs, Planning officer of Municipal council, project partner staff Resource allocation and implementation of prioritized needs of the Participatory Plans were reviewed in CGN meetings

Post Project Implementation – Participatory planning process discontinued Absence of strong commitments from both community as well as local authorities “However access road improvements and basic service delivery enhancement observed in most of the settlements” – Less coordination between local authorities and communities Infrastructure service delivery disturbed

Post Project Implementation – Absence of responsible staff in local authority to engage community in development process Kurunegala – No community development officer in function – Less interest in decentralized service delivery Managing waste services with community involvement – Less community involvement in service delivery and less community support on managing various services

Post Project Implementation – CGN discontinued after the project completion Absence of partner staff Transfer of some municipal council staff Implementation of some infrastructure needs made community interest low – Access roads and sanitation

Conclusions and recommendations Participatory planning allows community engagement in development decision making process However systems and structures are needs to be established in governing mechanism in order to sustain the community participation

….Conclusions and recommendations Sustaining community participation in development decision making process will be assured if; – Local authorities assign staff and resources to facilitate – Systems and structures are established in village level to facilitate community engagement – Local authorities are willing to sustain public private partnerships in service delivery

Thank You