About us

Legacy

With a humble beginning as an initiative of Action Aid in 1992, Praxis has come a long way in it’s endeavours to promote participatory development in all societies. In 1997 it emerged as an independent unit when Praxis – Institute for Participatory Practices was formally registered under the Societies Act 1860.By the year 2000, the organisation had grown robust enough to walk on its own. Praxis has since then evolved into an independent entity that is a voice to reckon with in the sphere of participatory practices.

Politics

Praxis believes that “Participation” is not a technical or a mechanical process that can be realised through application of a set of static and universal tools and techniques. It sees in “participation” a political process- a challenge to the existing power structure. Therefore, Praxis believes in contextualizing and bringing dynamism in its research methodologies so that the community is not seen as an object of research but as an agent of change.

While, on the one hand, realising the Right to Participation to all the sections of the society is the ultimate objective. On the other hand, it is also the most basic right for it ensures the dignity of every individual, irrespective of class, caste, gender, race, language or creed. Praxis believes it to be achieved through collective action.

With this objective, Praxis has become part of several national and international alliances so as to learn as well as influence various campaigns and movement building processes

Identitiy

Having established a niche for itself in representing the voices of marginalized sections in India, Praxis upholds the politics of participation. Praxis has now started attempting the representation of the “South” in the form of Praxis UK with office in London. As a development NGO originating from India, the UK set up helps in reaching the Southern perspective on development policy and practice, to the North.

Vision

At Praxis we see a world in which every woman and man has the right to participate in decision-making processes, and to a life with dignity and choices.

Mission

Our mission is to strive for the democratization of development processes and, institutions to ensure that the voices of poor women, men, girls and boys are heard and acted upon.

What we do

Build strategic partnership with other organisations including grass root organizations, associations, networks and movements.

Facilitate dialogue among all stakeholders while positioning ourselves with the poor.

Follow up on processes through our networks.

Work in an array of sectors

Innovate our approaches to suit specific situations.

Document field experiences, action research out comes and innovations in participatory democracy

Governing Principles

Gender equity is non negotiable. All references to development/ participatory processes mean gender equitable development/ participatory processes.

True democracy is participatory democracy. The space occupied by people in conceiving, planning and implementing developmental projects in a society, signals how far participatory democracy is prevalent in that society

Development agencies, whether the government, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations or other civil society organisations, have to define or re-define their roles as facilitators of such participatory processes of development.

Empowering the poor is a political process, which essentially means main streaming the marginalised. It challenges the hegemonic power structure and enables people to check, cross check, analyse and intervene in policies and programmes for development. It may create new institutions; it may break the existing ones.

Engaging with development agencies and organisations is a critical component of participatory development advocacy. It is a perennial process which adds to our wisdom and learning.

De-centralization of power and local self governance are important cornerstones of a truly participatory democracy. It is imperative that the process of gender equitable decentralisation be actively encouraged and institutions of grassroots democracy and local self-governments (such as Panchayati Raj institutions in the Indian context) be strengthened to be democratic to the core.