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Civil society participation in development is increasingly being
recognized as being an essential component for promoting good
governance - improving responsiveness of national policies and
programmes to citizens’ needs and ensuring transparency and
accountability in policy making and implementation processes. Genuine
participation of citizens however, goes beyond dialogue with or
contracting a few non-governmental organizations. It must engage all
citizens (women and men, in their various capacities, socio-economic
status, affiliations and locations) beyond elections to active
participation in making decisions that affect their lives. Engaging
people requires efforts and mechanisms that can empower all, but most
especially the disadvantaged members of society, to participate
effectively in development processes.
The concept of community mobilisation and development emerged from the
recognition that a genuine participatory approach to development is
essential for success and sustainability. Ideally, the process involves
all members of the community, however, it may also require some members
of the community to take the lead in the process and to act as
innovators since the entire community gains or loses through the action
of any member of the community. Community mobilisation and development
often makes use of the inherent optimism of human beings by providing a
mechanism through which positive futures can be achieved. This optimism
can only be tapped by moving away from the traditional “problem solving
and prevention” towards “potential development and enhancement”, there
is a need to think-positive. Problem solving has often only resulted in
social development being undertaken by communities (i.e. repair or
construction of social facilities including health facilities,
education facilities, etc.). Potential development focuses more on
economic development, in other words what potential exists locally and
what are the reasons or factors hindering the community from tapping,
making use or actually developing these potentials. To sustain
community development over time economic development is essential.
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