ABSTRACT

The dissertation examined community participation as a tool for the promotion of community development. It explored the concept of community participation and sustainable community development. It   identified areas of community participation in sustainable community development to include community needs assessment, community development planning, community mobilization among others. The highlights of the benefits that accrue from community participation in sustainable community development are community empowerment, promotion of meaningful change, community participation as a mechanism to address community problems and provision of learning opportunities. The purpose of the study is to critically examine the effectiveness of community participation in the development of their villages in Fako Division. The main problem identified was lack of community participation in development.  The methodology adopted is qualitative and doctrinal method. Some communities within Fako Division were selected as case study like; Lysoka, Koke, Bova, Wotutu and Bwintingi. The researcher use unstructured interview guide to collect data from the chiefs and notables. Findings reveal that most communities are not consulted for development within their community. Findings also reveal that there is the need for impact assessment to be conducted before development. This study recommended that, there is an obvious need to strengthen the level of awareness creation in people for community participation in sustainable community development, relevant stakeholders in community development projects should embark on sustainable mobilization for effective community participation in community development among others.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

This chapter is the introductory chapter. It treats the background to the study, research problems, research questions, objectives and methodology. It equally attempts an exploration of literature on the right and role of the population as well as the traditional chiefs towards their development, treats the theoretical framework and goes ahead to justify the reason for the subject as well as the significance. The scope of the study, limitation, definition of key terms and synopsis of chapter are also treated

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Community development is an often “nebulous term defined by many conceptual and practical characterizations”[1]. The participation of larger and growing number of local communities engaged in community development is quite obvious in current era. On 4 December 1986, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development.[2] In doing so, it affirmed some of the fundamental principles articulated in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: international peace and security; international cooperation for development; the recognition that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that all have the right to a standard of living adequate for their well-being; the right to self-determination of peoples; and the right to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration can be fully realized for all people everywhere without discrimination. Through the Declaration, the General Assembly recognized development as a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process aimed at the constant improvement of the well-being of all individuals and peoples, on the basis of their participation in development and in the fair distribution of its benefits. Divergent understandings of the terms “development” and “right to development” have contributed to delaying progress in the implementation of the right to development.

Historically, development has been understood as a primarily economic process measured by growth in gross national product.[3] This understanding continues to be the basis for the dominant economic model worldwide. Yet the benefits of the economic growth in the second half of the twentieth century were not equitably distributed among all nations, peoples and individuals, and this inequality is increasingly the subject of debate, criticism and social unrest. Rising poverty, growing inequalities, and unprecedented economic, social, cultural, political, environmental and climate crises make the right to development more relevant today than ever before. The right to development with its emphasis on economic, social, cultural and political development with people at its center presents a more balanced approach. Despite its high relevance to the greatest challenges that face all societies and the international community at large, the promise of the right to development has remained unfulfilled. In fact, over the years, progress in translating the Declaration into practice has been undermined by misunderstanding, criticism and even rejection. This thesis aims to demystify the right to development and to respond to some of the most commonly asked questions about this much misunderstood fundamental human right. While it is assumed that readers will already have basic knowledge about human rights, the Fact Sheet is intended to be accessible to a general audience.[4]

Article 1 of the Declaration states that the right to development “is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized. The human right to development also implies the full realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, which includes, subject to the relevant provisions of both International Covenants on Human Rights, the exercise of their inalienable right to full sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources.” The starting point for understanding the right to development, as stated in the Declaration and affirmed in subsequent United Nations resolutions and other related instruments, is that it is a human right on a par with all other human rights. It is neither an all-encompassing “super right”, nor a highly restricted “mini right”, but rather an equal right among the universal, inalienable, interrelated, interdependent and indivisible human rights. Secondly, the right to development is both an individual and a collective right. It belongs to all individuals and all peoples. As a human right, the right to development is universal; it applies to all people, in all countries, without distinction as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Like other human rights, the right to development contains specific entitlements, including the right “to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development.” The Declaration sets out the constituent elements of this right as well as the means for realizing it.

Although recognition of some link between human rights and development is relatively well supported,[5] there are ways in which the two persist in parallel and continue to reflect a separate evolution. But the convergence occurs also in less fortuitous ways – there is a documented overlap between human rights and development evident in the principles that are now prominent in the mainstream of development policy. Principles like participation and consultation,[6] inclusion, cohesion, good governance, accountability and equality or equity, are well established in development discourse, but they also constitute the tenets of a rights-based approach to development with roots in human rights philosophy or conventions. This convergence and proximity underscores the question of what ‘value-added’ human rights discourse brings[7], and that the answer lies in the realm of obligations. Equality is defining feature of other treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[8] and the European Convention on Human Rights.[9] Development discourse often embraces equality principles, sometimes finding its analogues in the principle of equity[10], sometimes in principles like inclusion, cohesion, or empowerment. At a philosophical level ‘rights require correlative duties’[11], and without duty there is no right. In public international law terms, the obligations or duties may have their source in the three classic sources of international law: treaties, custom (including principles of jus cogens[12] or obligations erga omnes[13]) and general principles of law.

Community participation in the development of traditional chiefdom can be seen as community engagement in the issue of common interest in a given village. This can be define as a process in which the community mobilizes  resources  initiate and take responsibility for its own development activities share or take part in decision making implementation ,monitoring, and evaluation of project development programs or project aimed at improving the  living standard of the entire community or chiefdom. The level of community engagement or participation however   varies   from community to community developing on the policies of the various authorities this has given rise to different form of  community   engagement or participation such as  passive participation, active participation community participation or engagement. In passive participation individuals, families, community member are mere spectator [top bottom approach] in the development process .This means that they are not called upon to participate in any phase of the development process. This occurs for instance in the implementation of projects emanating from public investment budget. For example the Lysoka community in Fako division.

As far as Active participation is concern community member maybe carrying out some tasks in a program or project but are not involves in the final decision making on what has to be done. The final decision making in such case is made by people who are not members of the concerns community or residing in the said community. In this case, the community does not develop the sense of resilience .project initiated for the community external development partners or elites etc.

When we talk of community participation, here the entire community is involved in all aspect of the programs or project .This type of approach enable the community to participate willingly to improve the well- being of their community. Community participation and involvement empower or enable the community to make informed decisions in all matters affecting their well-being[14].Involvement entails involving the community in identification, planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of programs or projects. This is important because of contributions however the feeling of responsibility and involvement of community members in such a programs or projects .This in any case is refer to as the process in which active partnership is established between a development project and the community itself.  Community participation and involvement contributes to attainment of community responsibility and accountability over all development projects. This prevent stakeholder from alienating themselves from community projects the community develop self – resilience

Community participation builds development which is sustainable long lasting and less susceptible to correction and mismanagement. In fact if forms the key aspects of our unique approach to development. community  participation empower community to make inform choice about how their public resource are managed mere importantly, it enable community to independently need their need for essential service And building independence real and lasting charges. Communities already know what they need for their development, their participation not only provides valuable local insight, but also institute a level of accountability. Communities’ involvements on the process of development generate a feeling of accountability for the organization providing service and resource. According to the ESI, Community participation also produces a fairer distribution of benefit. In fact community participation clearly highlights the problems of equitable development by gender issues. As a result woman voice can rise in decision making process on a global scale. Furthermore by engaging woman in community participations resource can be managed in a way that builds support for woman and girls enabling them to be part of   their development.

Effective community participation seeks to better engage the community or chiefdom to achieve long-term and sustainable outcome processes relationship discourse and decision-making in a chiefdom. Engagement is generally driven by a framework of guiding principle, strategies and approach. This framework is based on principle that respects the right of all community members to be informed, consulted, involved and empowered and employs range of tools and strategy to ensure success. It also fosters and enhances trust as a critical element in long term sustainable engagement and effective governance. Citizens are engaged when they pay a meaningful role in the deliberation, discussions, decision-making and implementation of project or programs affecting them. Accordingly the organization and government leaders need to broaden the way they see their responsibility to include role as facilitator, supporter, collaborator, and empower citizens and stakeholder.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Although there has been some regulation to the right of the community through active participation in the development of their villages, the neglect of such right by the project owners or community organizations in Fako Division is a call for concern. Project owners like Organizations, do not involve or include the local population in decision-making aspect that brings development in their community. Most often they solely embark in identifying projects for the Community without consulting the needs of the Community, seek for funding for the projects and execute it. However, where such projects are being realized they do not meet the aspiration of the community members which makes them unsatisfied. Community participation in the development of villages is very important and encouraging tool for community sustainability, growth, existence and good governance. The problem faced in this domain is that most of the concerned population are not often consulted and do not participate actively in the identification of developmental projects that concern the community. The award of a project to construct a market at Lysoka and Wotutu Communities by the Buea Municipal Council in 2007 is gearing examples. Based on interview and observation, the Lysoka market was constructed (the project was realized but did not suit the reality of the community) hence, the members of that community have never used the market because it was not a priority project to them that will bring development in that community at that time. If the council consulted the community to carry out an assessment or a survey to identify projects that will lead to development, they would not have chosen a market but they would have preferred a road project because as of date, farmers of that community lack good farm to market roads and they still carry their farm produce to nearby markets like Muea and Ekona. In Wotutu Village after consultation with the Chief on Project identification, the Buea Council in 2007 awarded a market Project to the community which to him (the Chief) was a priority project. The Market was constructed (the project was realized) but did not suit the realities of the village because the entire community did not participate and consulted in the identification of  priority developmental projects of the community. Members of that community have never use the market till date for its purpose..

1.3. RESEARCH QUESTIONSS

The research questions are divided into two; main research question and specific research questions.

1.3.1 Main Research Question

• How effective is community participation in the development of villages in Fako division complies with the Human Right approach?

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

• What is the nature of community participation in the development of villages in Fako?
• Whare are the Legal, institutional and policy frameworks governing community participation?
• How effective are the measures in guaranteeing community participation in the development of villages in Fako?
• What policy recommendations to enhance community participation in the development of villages in Fako Division?

1.4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1.4.1 Main Objective

• The main objective of this study is to critically examine the effectiveness of community participation in the development of villages in Fako Division.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

• To examine the meaning of community participation in the development of villages in Fako Division.
• To analyze the legal, institutional and policy framework regulating community participation in Fako Division.
• To investigate effectiveness of the measures in guaranteeing community participation in the development of villages in Fako Division
• To determine policy recommendations to enhance community participation in the development of villages in Fako Divisions