Development Cooperation Handbook/Defining Development/Development Mantras/Mantra 3

When national policies contribute to empowering communities and foster good local governance through local development, it becomes possible to use local resources efficiently and effectively for sustainable national development. As capacity of people is strengthened and their voices begin to be heard, they become capable of being owners and managers of their resources and of choosing the life they have reason to value. Constraints exist at the policy level that impinge on the rights of people to organize, access information, own and manage assets and participate fully as members of civil society. The more people are involved upstream in the planning and decision making process, inform and improve policies, legislative frameworks and implementation processes and procedures, the more likely they are to own a development intervention, contribute to it and sustain it. Efforts are thus required to create an enabling policy environment that allows all stakeholders to participate as active partners of development processes.

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