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.