Participation that Empowers for Participation that Empowers for

Ownership: A Case Study of the UN Ownership: A Case Study of the UN

Millennium Villages Project, GhanaMillennium Villages Project, Ghana

February 18th 2009February 18th 2009

Adwoa AttaAdwoa Atta--KrahKrahMA Sustainable International Development,MA Sustainable International Development,

Heller School for Social Policy and ManagementHeller School for Social Policy and ManagementBrandeis UniversityBrandeis University

Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation

•• IntroductionIntroduction

•• BackgroundBackground

•• The Case for Increased The Case for Increased •• The Case for Increased The Case for Increased

Local OwnershipLocal Ownership

•• Observations/Observations/

RecommendationsRecommendations

IntroductionIntroduction

•• Goal:Goal: 1) Decipher what “ownership” 1) Decipher what “ownership” looks like on the ground and 2) looks like on the ground and 2) Understand the extent to which Understand the extent to which participatory mechanisms used lead participatory mechanisms used lead to project ownership at community to project ownership at community levellevel

•• Method:Method: Participant observation, Participant observation, questionnairequestionnairequestionnairequestionnaire

•• Duration:Duration: 3/6 months3/6 months•• Unit:Unit: Community DevelopmentCommunity Development•• Activities:Activities: Daily interactions with Daily interactions with

communities, community communities, community sensitization of educational and sensitization of educational and health issues, wealth ranking health issues, wealth ranking exercises, review of CAP exercises, review of CAP implementation process, etcimplementation process, etc

BackgroundBackground

•• Participation: “… the Participation: “… the involvement by a local involvement by a local populationpopulation and, at times, additional stakeholders and, at times, additional stakeholders in in the creation, content and conduct of a program or the creation, content and conduct of a program or policy designed to change their lives…policy designed to change their lives…participatory participatory development development uses local decision making uses local decision making and and capacities to steer and define the nature of an capacities to steer and define the nature of an capacities to steer and define the nature of an capacities to steer and define the nature of an intervention” (Jennings 2000: 1). intervention” (Jennings 2000: 1).

•• Despite focus on “people centered” practice, there is Despite focus on “people centered” practice, there is still a concern that still a concern that intended beneficiariesintended beneficiaries of of development strategies development strategies feel little influencefeel little influence over and over and benefit from these.benefit from these.

Cluster Manager and

dignitaries admire

MV agricultural

produce during

National Farmers Day

Awards

The Case for Increased Local The Case for Increased Local

Ownership Ownership

•• Local ownership does not signify full control or Local ownership does not signify full control or possession…but rather, “ownership” refers to the possession…but rather, “ownership” refers to the respective capacities of different stakeholders, their respective capacities of different stakeholders, their power or power or capacity to set and take responsibility for capacity to set and take responsibility for a development agenda and to muster and sustain a development agenda and to muster and sustain a development agenda and to muster and sustain a development agenda and to muster and sustain support for itsupport for it (Saxby 2003).(Saxby 2003).

•• Without it, high dependency, low commitment levels, Without it, high dependency, low commitment levels, lack lack desiredesire to want to continue, lack to want to continue, lack abilityability to build to build upon and replicate grave upon and replicate grave implications for sustainability.implications for sustainability.

Ingredients of OwnershipIngredients of Ownership

•• InvolvementInvolvement

•• CommitmentCommitment

•• ControlControl•• ControlControl

•• InfluenceInfluence

•• ReplicationReplication

•• EngagementEngagement

The Oman hene greets

sub chiefs at the

commissioning of a

school at Yawkasakrom

ObservationsObservations•• The participatory mechanisms being used contribute significantly The participatory mechanisms being used contribute significantly

to communities’ sense of project ownershipto communities’ sense of project ownership

•• However, communities’ definition of ownership is focused on However, communities’ definition of ownership is focused on the physical structures. This implies that more needs to be done the physical structures. This implies that more needs to be done to ensure that they assume ownership of the entire projectto ensure that they assume ownership of the entire project

•• The composition of the 6 ingredients appears to be slightly top The composition of the 6 ingredients appears to be slightly top heavy: the project has clearly made ample provisions for heavy: the project has clearly made ample provisions for participation, community participation, community involvementinvolvement and and commitment.commitment.ControlControl and and influenceinfluence are existent but could be strengthened are existent but could be strengthened further. There is insufficient capacity development at this stage further. There is insufficient capacity development at this stage of project implementation, as a result the communities’ of project implementation, as a result the communities’ perceived ability to perceived ability to replicatereplicate processes and processes and engageengage partners to partners to assist them in CAP implementation is poor. assist them in CAP implementation is poor.

I and two women

pose for a photo after

a community

debriefing meeting

RecommendationsRecommendations•• Organize more frequent CAP reviews with pictorials and Organize more frequent CAP reviews with pictorials and

annotated manuals to help communities remember steps takenannotated manuals to help communities remember steps taken

•• Put greater focus on Put greater focus on capacity developmentcapacity development e.g. introduce e.g. introduce Citizen Government Engagement classes to teach literacy and Citizen Government Engagement classes to teach literacy and human rights classes, and impart human rights classes, and impart basicbasic accounting, management, accounting, management, lobbying, proposal writing and fundraising skillslobbying, proposal writing and fundraising skillslobbying, proposal writing and fundraising skillslobbying, proposal writing and fundraising skills

•• Promote more rigorous sharing of knowledge and experiences Promote more rigorous sharing of knowledge and experiences through inter and intra community exchanges across all sectorsthrough inter and intra community exchanges across all sectors

•• Involve community members in purchasing of items where Involve community members in purchasing of items where possible, i.e. ingredients for SFP or agricultural inputspossible, i.e. ingredients for SFP or agricultural inputs

A Buruli Ulcer Patient stands

in front of the Tontokrom

Health Center

Recommendations Recommendations contd.contd.

•• Explain the TORs of local governing bodies e.g. assembly men, Explain the TORs of local governing bodies e.g. assembly men, agricultural extension workers, unit committee workers etc to agricultural extension workers, unit committee workers etc to repair existing relational issues amongst themrepair existing relational issues amongst them

•• Explore possibility of introducing innovative incentive packages Explore possibility of introducing innovative incentive packages to keep communities engaged and committed to keep communities engaged and committed

•• UNDP/ MV staff should see how processes can be quickened as UNDP/ MV staff should see how processes can be quickened as TIMING is negatively affecting communities’ ownershipTIMING is negatively affecting communities’ ownership

•• MV staff should be careful of language and maintain a sense of MV staff should be careful of language and maintain a sense of urgency when talking about the need for communities to assume urgency when talking about the need for communities to assume responsibility of project so that they develop a shared sense of responsibility of project so that they develop a shared sense of project ownership sooner rather than laterproject ownership sooner rather than later

THANK YOU !!