Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
O
Involve locals in setting up the process
O
Watch the use of language, dress for the occasion
O
Train invited speakers to be sensitive to the needs of the audience.
If necessary, provide incentives or other support for participation. This
might include a good meal, transport, or a newsletter that participants can
take away and share with others. Figure 4.5 (see colour plates) illustrates
engaging women and children as the target implementers of a water quality
improvement project in Indonesia.
Ensure skilled facilitation to equalise power. A skilled facilitator ensures
that everyone involved is fairly heard and not criticised, and that the process
is set up to support participation by key stakeholders.
Three other interrelated matters need to be addressed: barriers to consul-
tation; skills needed for effective consultation; and evaluation of consultation.
In many cases, an agency is opposed to thorough consultation, possibly due
to previous negative experience. This may be a result of poorly designed
processes or lack of skills of those undertaking engagement. Without evalu-
ation of the consultation process, it is difficult to justify engagement or know
where to target improvement.
Barriers to engagement
Well intentioned water resource planners developing a consultation process
are in some cases met with scepticism about the benefits. Some of the
arguments used against consultation and possible responses are documented
in Table 4.4.
Skills required for consultation, consensus building, and conflict
resolution
In many cases, an agency officer who is an expert is hydrology or agricultural
development is allocated the job of consulting with stakeholders, frequently
with little relevant training or support. Guidance may be in the form of what
was done before, even if it was not very effective.
The Hamstead
et al.
(2008a) review of water planning in Australia
documented a lack of skills in consultation, consensus building and conflict
resolution among agency staff responsible for water planning, who often
come from a technical background. Yet to run a good process, at minimum
good facilitation, communication and project management skills are needed
to supplement the resource and technical knowledge often provided by other
team members. Many of the issues that arise in relation to water resource
planning do so because of perceptions of fairness in process (procedural
equity) or the way resources are distributed (distributional equity).
An effective and neutral facilitator can ensure that participants are heard
and their interests are acknowledged. An independent person is more likely
