Participatory Development and Community-Driven Change: Principles, Practices, and Global Evidence
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prtdvchange-01
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About the Article
Participatory development has emerged as one of the most significant approaches to advancing sustainable and inclusive change across diverse contexts. This article explores its theoretical foundations and practical applications, emphasizing the centrality of community participation in shaping priorities, implementing solutions, and sustaining outcomes. Drawing from global evidence—such as participatory budgeting in Brazil, community forestry in Nepal, and health programs in Kenya—it demonstrates how locally owned processes enhance accountability, social cohesion, and resilience. The paper also situates methodological traditions such as Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and Participatory Action Research (PAR) within global development frameworks, linking theory, practice, and policy. Ultimately, it presents participatory development as both an ethical imperative and a proven strategy for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through empowerment and collective agency.
Key Topics
- Participatory development
- Community-driven development
- Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
- Participatory Action Research (PAR)
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Participatory Development and Community-Driven Change: Principles, Practices, and Global Evidence. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prtdvchange-01
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