by Piyaporn Hawiset
July 1999
People-centred development is the relatively new catchphrase in social development, and with five pilot projects, Thailand has proved that the new method can be a success. However, its long-term efficacy remains to be seen, writes Pravit Rojanaphruk.
The United Nations in late 1995 came up with yet another new buzz word used in the foreign-aid and development industry--and industry it is.
In the context of promoting self-sufficiency, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and other member agencies of the UN family have variously embraced such terms as "community-based development", "grassroots development" and "participatory development".
The original concept of involving communities in development projects has, over the years, been expanded to include environment, economy, governance and society in general. In the process, this has also acquired a new name: people-centred development (PCD).
Since 1997 the UNDP, the Thai government and the civil society groups have been working together on the implementation of five pilot projects under the Thailand-United Nations Collaborative Action Plan (Thai-Uncap). And hopes are high that the Action Plan will achieve its objectives.
"It's a very challenging and ambitious goal", commented a senior UNDP officer at the June 1999 two-day workshop in Bangkok to discuss and review Thai-Uncap's activities since its launch back in '97.
"I think the dominant paradigm was, and still is, economic-centred development," said Jan J. Loubser, consultant to Thai-Uncap. "Development itself was taken from the real estate [development], and very little attention was paid to society and the people, particularly by governments which act mainly in the best interests of vested interests and their cronies."
So what exactly is people-centred development and how does it work?
According to an introductory Thai-Uncap publication, the key components of PCD are defined in terms of two sets of concepts, as follows:
"First, people-centred development is development that sees people as whole persons: it is development of people, by people and for people, taking into account all dimensions important to them.
"Second, for those who plan and implement development it involves two master strategies that reinforce each other: empowering people (develop people's capacities; let people decide, participate in decision-making with gender equality; and seek the common good of the well-being of all people as the core goal of development), and creating an enabling environment (ensure access to opportunities, services, assets, resources, credit, markets; ensure people-centred governance, rule of law, democracy, partnership, civil society; and create equitable social, economic, political orders and distribution systems that ensure sustainability in a whole system approach) for their development to their fullest potential.
"People-centred developed is thus a holistic, dynamic, self-driven process that happens when people are empowered and the environment is enabling."
"To me, it's a matter of implementing those ideas whose time has come," said Loubser, referring to the objectives outlined in eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan (October 1, 1997 to September 30, 2002), the new Thai constitution and the Thai King's suggestions for promoting greater self-reliance among his subjects.
"We can no longer think on a project basis," said Dr Chartchai Na Chiangmai of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), the other consultant to Thai-Uncap. "We must think in terms of process. It may take time before PCD will crystalise and take roots. But that's something the people will have to absorb and learn by themselves."
Five areas were selected for the introduction of the PCD approach which brings together local residents, governmental bodies (the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; Department of Local Administration; National Economic and Social Development Board; Department of Community Development and Rajabhat Institutes among others) and UNDP. The UN-sponsored workshop allowed representatives from the three implementing bodies to share their views on the success and failures of PCD and to put forward their suggestions as to how the Thai-Uncap experiences can support the government's new initiative known as the Community Empowerment for Response to Crisis Action Plan (CERCAP).
Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, former chief of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and chairperson of Thai-Uncap first summarised the PCD concept to villagers and community leaders involved in the pilot phase of the Thai-Uncap programme.
"You must be your own leaders, be the captions of your own lives. When troubles or difficulties arise we [various governmental agencies] will be there to assist. However, we will not be around all the time. At the end of the day, it is you who must be responsible for your own well-being. We cannot be responsible for your lives. From now on, we shall make people the centre of development. But what does that mean in practice? And where do we begin?"
Sumet believes that a booklet summarising the successes of the Thai--Uncap projects should be made available.
Because, in many ways, the PCD approach has been successful. The representatives from the five areas selected for the pilot projects all appeared happy and in control of their own destiny. Bangkok's low-income communities in Yannawa came up with a saving scheme; the Phetchaburi group joined up with another community in setting up a fishery; project groups in the rural provinces of Maha Sarakham, Pattani and Phayao chose education and agricultural-based community activities.
But the final goal of enabling urban and rural Thais to determine what they need -- and how they will meet those needs -- is still a long way off. There is little doubt that PCD is the most appropriate approach so far tested in Thailand. But is its implementation easier said than done?
Apparently so, judging by the reports given by villagers and government officials during a one-day meeting held recently in Phetchaburi province during which the roles of communities, government officials and the UNDP were discussed.
Slow shift in attitude
Topping the list of the communities' concerns is the fear that the attitudes of government officials are hard to change. Most still harbour the paternalistic "father knows best" mentality and are finding it difficult to move away from the top-down approach. Other hindrances cited included a lack of unity among various governmental agencies and heavy bureaucratic procedures. The top-down approach is important to governments and vested interests that need to retain control of all natural and human resources for their own greedy ends.
"Government officials and people at all levels must be clear about what people-centred development is. We must have a common goal, else it will fail.
"The local officials must have trust in the communities. Many officials at the field level still think that the people cannot succeed, while those at the top believes this process only add to their headaches. Since villagers tend to meet after dark, officials feel that they have to sacrifice their leisure time to attend," concluded the Phayao group.
The Maha Sarakham group which opted for a local educational fund pointed out the fundamental requirement for an adjustment in the way officials think, a sentiment also echoed by Bangkok's Yannawa group.
"We are not looking for a boss," said Somsri Saithong, a Yannawa community leader. "But some of those who wanted to fund us still think they're the boss. And when we insist, they call us rude. But the fact is, we are not prepared to be subordinates."
Back to the Phayao group: "Many communities are still being dominated [by the state]. They still tell us what to do as if they knew what was best for us even when they have completely no undertsanding of the local situation and conditions. Many of the people's initiatives are discouraged. This leads to a lack of confidence."
"Government officials only talk about it (PCD) at seminars," commented one Phayao community representative. "And they find tend to forget all about it after they leave the meeting room."
Too high expectations?
Comments one representative from a community in Pattani after a brain-storming session: "Some villagers still think that joining certain development projects means getting cash hand-outs. They also expect it to be easy, that that they won't have to think for themselves or take on any responsibilities."
"Some villagers pulled out after two years of voluntary work," complained a member of the Phayao group.
"Others just don't see the point," said another.
Perhaps working together presents too much of a challenge to people who are mainly preoccupied with maintaining a hand-to-mouth existence? One group, presented with the idea of people-centred development, drew a chart linking the government to the community level in a decidedly top-down fashion. The members find it hard to visualise the relationship in any other way. Another group talked about fostering a "sense of citizenship" among villagers. And several representatives pleaded with the UNDP and Thai government not to rush things.
"Don't expect us to finish the tasks by a fixed dateline." This from the Phayao group.
People-centred development is designed as a bottom up-approach. The pilot target populations are not convinced. To them it is still a top-down initiative, albeit a more benign one.
But while it is clear that much more work needs to be done to change the attitudes of government officials and thus pave the way for the people to take control of their future, some benefits are already evident in the five pilot areas. People have learned to speak out and to take more responsibility for their lives. They know their voices are now being heard and therefore are more confident.
"It's not perfect but it's better than not having Thai-Uncap," quipped a villager from Phayao.
Nonetheless several questions remain unanswered. To what extent can the PCD be expected to succeed at a broader level and without UNDP support? Will the Thai government, known for dominating the "little people", succeed in introducing people-centred development? Will the "little people", often viewed as helpless and ignorant, rise up and face the challenge? Loubser admits that he is probably too optimistic.
"There will be villagers in Thailand -- and elsewhere -- who would be content to let the government do things for them."
But while Loubser is well aware that people-centred development is not a process that can be introduced overnight, he remains optimistic. "If this approach is adopted by even 10 per cent of the communities in Thailand, it will transform the country."
After the meeting, as Dr Chartchai relaxed over a drink, he spoke of his vision of the future of people-centred development.
"Who would believe that Thailand would be one of the first countries to be talking about people-centred development? Yet many at the grassroots level still have no idea what it's all about. But the ship has already left the port. If it sinks, then we'll just have to come up with a good excuse. It's anybody's guess."