Replication and Scaling Up: Where to from Here? - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 434

• Credibility and institutionalization of the certification process are critical.

• Flexibility and adaptability of the training and certification process are essential

to ensure both effectiveness and timeliness in the delivery of training and
certification.

• Communication and public awareness of the gender equity seal are vital for

ownership and recognition in firms and the general public.

Real participation means involving citizens at every stage and level. This
includes the micro or community level, the meso or intermediate level (local
governments, NGOs) and the macro or national/policy level (central government,
donor organization staff). Real participation implies that development choices are
taken under conditions of full information, full representation of all interests, and
a hard budget constraint. These conditions can be met in substantial measure, if
not fully, by good program design. Under these conditions, elites will be driven
towards proposals that benefit all stakeholders, including poor and marginalized
groups. Some caveats are in order. If poor and marginalized groups are prevented
from participating effectively, elite capture will follow. Similarly, if community
members dependent on natural resources and other environmental interest groups
are inadequately represented, environmental degradation may result.
Empowerment means real control by communities over resources, project/program
design and selection, implementation, and M and E. A good test of whether a pilot
program will foster empowerment is whether the community/local government
have full control over the financial resources to be used in the program, i.e. whether
the money is in the hands of the community , and whether these resources are
part of a single untied development budget , rather than earmarked for specific
purposes.
Shifting power from the top to the bottom requires strong political commitment.
Good design is all important: without it, power may simply move from ineffective
central governments to ineffective local ones. So, empowerment requires both
political commitment and good design. These in turn should be used to ensure six
critical factors (Narayan Deepa 2002 ).

1. Devolution of authority and resources.
2. Real participation of primary stakeholders (see above).
3. A communication program that provides a two-way flow of information.
4. Co-financing by communities to promote local ownership.
5. Availability of technical assistance and facilitation from the private sector and/or
higher administrative levels.
6. Pro-poor market development, including facilitation of producer/user groups that
can federate upward to tap national and global markets.

Many countries have deep gender and social divisions. Empowerment requires
the bridging of social divides and participation by all. A thorough analysis of
social/political conditions needs to guide the program design.