PARTICIPATION
Participation means bringing national and local agencies, local community organisations, the private sector, and academic institutions together in a search for innovative development ideas that lead to reform. PDP’s approach to governance, planning and policy change includes a focus on planning with, rather than for people. Creating sustainable improvements in living conditions means building on existing potential in informal areas: those of their inhabitants and the existing socio-economic structures. Planning and urban upgrading need to be linked to capacities and the priority needs of the people.
Resources can be mobilised locally and more efficiently through the collaboration of governmental and non-governmental organisations. Planning needs and processes in already existing informally built communities are completely different from those used in planning new communities: informal area development requires negotiated agreements among residents, the private sector, and local government agencies.