In 2013, the United Nations formed a 27-member High-Level Panel to inform the process of framing the post-Millennium Development Goals development framework. To counter yet another top-down approach, organisations across the world reached out to poor and marginalised people to make their voices heard before the policies determining their fate are framed. As part of this process, Praxis, along with the Participate initiative with the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, facilitated Ground-Level Panel processes with people from across the country to understand their challenges and their vision for the future.

 

Since then, the Ground-Level Panels have been organized as a platform for direct talk, to facilitate community-led evidence-backed engagement with those who form and influence policies. The process creates spaces where people facing marginalisation are recognised as experts who inform top-down policies from the lens of their lived experience. The aim of the Ground-Level Panel process is to provide a counterpoint to the dominance of 'professional, political and academic voices in policy-making processes'.

 

Praxis facilitates ground-level processes and also builds the capacity of organisations and individuals to facilitate similar processes in their project area.

 

GROUND-LEVEL PANEL PROCESSES

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The Ground-Level Panel brings together people facing different kinds of vulnerabities and marginalisation to take part in a deliberative dialogue process, during which the participants discuss a significant policy initiative that impacts their lives.

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The Facilitator's Handbook aims to guide facilitators in organising similar ground-level panels. It focuses on the day-to-day process that was followed during the first Ground-Level Panel hosted by Praxis and draws from the findings that emerged from the deliberations to offer broad suggestons and tips for facilitators. The handbook can be viewed here.