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on Culture & Development - Seameo-SPAFA

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Fororeworord:12FororeworordDespite reported changes in aid relati<strong>on</strong>ships over thepast decade and the mainstreaming of participati<strong>on</strong> intothe development paradigm, fundamental questi<strong>on</strong>sregarding aid effectiveness prevail. Why do manydevelopment programmes and projects c<strong>on</strong>sistently fallshort of meeting even the most basic needs of thoseliving in poverty? Why, despite the huge financialresources poured into development projects andprogrammes, does the gap between the haves and havenots c<strong>on</strong>tinue to widen, and not even marginallydecrease?On the surface, the c<strong>on</strong>cept of participati<strong>on</strong> seemsstraightforward and the documentati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> approachesand techniques that can create opportunities fordialogue with communities is prolific. In practice,however, more often than not, the primary stakeholder’sc<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> is reduced to inputs regarding a problemwhich has already been identified and prioritised by“outsiders”. These outsiders then, c<strong>on</strong>sciously orunc<strong>on</strong>sciously, filter the informati<strong>on</strong> given according tocriteria, values, recognised behaviours or resp<strong>on</strong>ses oftheir own. In additi<strong>on</strong>, they often subject the primarystakeholders to timeframes and reporting mechanismsto comply with the needs of the d<strong>on</strong>ors andimplementers. In reality then, the participatory processremains abstract or academic <strong>on</strong>ly and not actual.Even though many people may now take <strong>on</strong> board theissues of culture, c<strong>on</strong>text, and choice in development,and may well know what should be d<strong>on</strong>e, it may not beapparent how to proceed given the c<strong>on</strong>straints within

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