Sustaining economic development by reforming basic institutions through community participation

Development initiatives, whether in the economic or social sector, have maximum chances of success if there is community participation, especially at the grassroots level. Major work in this respect has been done in Northern Areas and replicated in some other parts of the country by NGOs. The need for conceptualising a realistic framework of collaboration between government/other development agencies and community organisations, engaged in pursuit of both social and economic goals, is imperative because when it comes to community involvement, the two sectors cannot be divorced from each other. In fact, experience has shown that productive sector interventions take precedence over the social sector, in forcing overall development. The paper emphasizes, the need to strengthen the grassroots institutions through communities participation experience and developing collaboration between government and CDGs. (Pak Development Rev/DÜI)