An Oxfam Monash Partnership Research Project...Aim of this presentation 1. To share our high level...
Transcript of An Oxfam Monash Partnership Research Project...Aim of this presentation 1. To share our high level...
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An Oxfam Monash Partnership Research ProjectAn Oxfam‐Monash Partnership Research Project
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Aim of this presentation1. To share our high level findings.2. To share the tensions we have been grappling with as
h i b bl h researchers trying to be accountable to the communities we are researching, and to the institutions that house the researchinstitutions that house the research.
[Note the colour coding][ g]
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Central Goal of the Project
To investigate the factors enabling some communities t d l l ti l t it t dto develop relatively stronger community‐centredaccountability processes than others, in relation to development projects that affect them.p p jAccountability is a ‘western’ and particularly ‘Anglo‐American’‐centric concept. We have taken an idea that has purchase for us, given our own intellectual backgrounds, and developed a t d f it lt l d tistudy of its cross‐cultural adoption.
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Thin (weak) notions of b laccountability
transparency
consultation
i f ti
p y
information
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Thick (strong) notions of b laccountability
Community Democratic Control
InstitutionalResponsiveness
Community Influence and
Self‐Determination
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Key Investigation AreasUnderstandingof entitlement
Available forums for of entitlement
to influenceforums for influence
Capacity to influence
Role of NGOs influence decision making
and other external actorsmaking
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Initial project development
Asked for scoping funds
Result:Project would quickly assess Oxfam Integrated D l
p gto embed locally
Development program before Oxfam Australia exited = short timeframes.H d i k NGO Rejected Housed in a known NGO –Equitable Cambodia – with an interest in accountability set up by an
Submitted full proposal for Cambodia
accountability set up by an American.No strong ties with local institutionsinstitutions.
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The Case StudiesCase studies of 3 development projects affecting communitiesR l/ bRural/urbanAt different stages of development and impactR f i l d ( i Range of involved actors (government, companies, IFIs, NGOs)
Comparison of factors that strengthen or weaken community‐centred accountability processescommunity centred accountability processes
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The Oxfam Australia IntegratedThe Oxfam Australia Integrated Community Development Project
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“Why the integrated approach? Starting from scratch, communities wanted the basic foundations to rebuild their lives The integrated approach is rebuild their lives. The integrated approach is designed to create simultaneous changes in communities that reinforce each other, to encourage , gself‐sustaining development. For example, improvements in food production are supported by
t l t hi h i t th d b access to clean water, which is strengthened by activities to enhance gender equity. The alternative is standalone projects, but these can often fail.”p j ,
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Rice banks Livelihoods
Buffalo b kGender awareness banksGender awareness
Government counterparts
Building government capacity
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The Boeung Kak Lake UrbanThe Boeung Kak Lake Urban Development Project
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“Boeung Kak lake residents clash with riot police yesterday in Phnom Penh Wednesdayin Phnom Penh, Wednesday, November 30, 2011” [http://ki-media.blogspot.com.au/]
“A woman from Boeung Kak Lake community is stopped by local security guards near a blocked main street near the Phnom Penh Municipality Court duringPhnom Penh Municipality Court during villagers' gathering to call for the release of anti-governments protesters who were arrested in a police crackdown, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, April 25, 2014.” [www.voacambodia.com]
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The Lower Sesan II Dam Project
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Sre Kor (Stung Treng). 28/02/2013: Members of this indigenous Tampuonminority demonstrate in the street of their ill [J h Vi k]village [John Vink]
Representatives from communities along the Sesan, Sekong and Srepok rivers protesting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh, Dec 12, 2013. [Radio Free Asia]Asia]
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Emerging FindingsThe strength of accountability processes depends critically on a given community’s capacity and sense of entitlement to influence decisions about development entitlement to influence decisions about development projects that affect them
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Claiming accountability fromClaiming accountability from governmentSesan Oxfam All BK“Leaders teach people how to
“A good leader listens”
‐ Started thinking of government as parent – with strong
“Government is our servant and is not
follow the rules” p ghierarchy
‐ Process of disillusionment re parent concept
the master of us”
‐ Changes across time in relation to understanding of accountability of
tgovernment‐ Confusion between
different outsiders –often confusion between NGOs andbetween NGOs and government
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Ch i NGO i iChange since NGO interventionSesan Oxfam All BKDifficulty formulating Follow normal hierarchical Lingering paternalism believe can makeDifficulty formulating claims:• low self perception
as claim makers• fear and intimidation
Follow normal hierarchical process:‐ strengthened
participation‐ strong gender
Lingering paternalism‐ involvement of NGOs
has significantly shaped different perceptions of ability
‐ believe can make claims and articulate demands/wants in relations to government
• fear and intimidation in past high
• geographically isolated
• don’t know who is
strong gender awareness with greater participation by women
‐ participation rather
perceptions of ability to make claims
‐ whether claim making is a criticism of government –
‐ NGOs made them articulate demands early in process
‐ other important factors influencing• don t know who is
responsible and thus who to make claims of
than claim making whether unsettling authority relations ‐is the main factor shaping nature of
bili ti d
factors influencing strategy:
o not isolated –central
o have clear h i fmobilization and
change in perception of role of government
mechanism for complaint making
o access to international community
o easy access for media
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Factors influencing capacity andFactors influencing capacity and entitlement
Quality of information, organization and resources at community level
d d dCommunity norms and expectations, grounded in political cultureRoles, strategies and capacities of NGOs operating Roles, strategies and capacities of NGOs operating in the communityRelationships between communities, NGOs and governmentCentralized versus decentralized structure of project decision‐makingdecision making
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Factors that determine differencesFactors that determine differences in participation and claim makingSesan Oxfam All BK• Age the biggest factor –
older generation tied to land and not mobile.
• Distinction based on those who live closer to the centre of village
• Men tend to have more contact with outsiders and be more
In the beginning, men represented the claims of the community.
Biggest stake in the dam.• Those with other sources
of income less concerned and involved in claiming accountability
and those who live more peripherally
• People at periphery say they didn’t hear about meetings
confident with outsiders because leave the village more often.
• Barriers based on
But then, strategy decision to put women at the front:
• Reduce violence• Women not in
formal jobs soaccountability• Gender – men more
active as community reps• Commune council – has
women reps as a matter
about meetings• Some people say they
do not have time to participate in meetings because of livelihood
• Barriers based on geographic isolation and language for ethnic minority villages
formal jobs so less risk of losing them
• Women available for meetings
of policy, but one woman reported that she missed the important consultation because she was making the tea.
pressures• Women the strongest
participants in village level committees, but less so outside the
• Yet women still subject to domestic violence
• Broad range of ages represented in movementg
village. • Biggest distinction based on whether live on land or water and security of title
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Embedding the research locally
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Embedding the research locallyUse of participatory research methods throughout the project.Decision not to conduct action research.Decision not to conduct action research.Visited communities to share and check findings.A number of workshops and meetings with Cambodian NGO f db k d h k hNGOs to feedback and check research.Developed materials with women from Boeung Kak for other communities.Feeding in research to other Oxfam initiatives such as the Active Citizenship and Accountability hub.Ongoing discussion about how to embedOngoing discussion about how to embed.
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Limitations of our accountabilityIn Cambodia:Not linked with local universities.Did l h h ffi i l i h l l Did not plan the research sufficiently with local groups, other than Equitable Cambodia where we were based.Research not generated based on local demand or need, Research not generated based on local demand or need, but on Oxfam and Monash priorities and interests.
In Oxfam:Still need to ensure that feeds into programs and doesn’t end up as another report on a shelf.