OBJECTIVES: Support and promote community initiatives in participatory problem solving. Create local entities that can sustainably support, promote community development initiatives and protect citizens' interests.

1. Public Participation Experience
in Central Asia
Workshop on information management and public participationWorkshop on information management and public participation
in transboundary water cooperationin transboundary water cooperation
8-10 June 2005, St. Petersburg8-10 June 2005, St. Petersburg
Russian FederationRussian Federation
Ulzhan Kanzhigalina
Zhalgas-Counterpart, Almaty

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to the people from
Counterpart International who provided advice and shared
their experiences in encouraging participation in Central
Asia:
oMichael Kuntz, Counterpart Regional Director
oErkinbek Kasymbekov, Counterpart Kyrgyzstan Director
oMark Granius, Counterpart Program Specialist

5. LEGAL FRAMEWORK
o Aarhus Convention
o National Concept for Ecological security, 2003
o Agreement between the Government of
Kazakhstan and the Government of Kyrgyz
Republic on Utilization of the Water Facilities of
Interstate Use on the Chu and Talas Rivers, 2000
o Water Code, 2003, Art. 43
o Draft concept for the National IWRM and Water
Efficiency Plan, 2005

6. LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION
o Information
o Consultation
o Participation

7. CHALLENGES and
SOLUTIONS
oCentralized decision-making
oPeople believe themselves to be
powerless over the issues that affect
their lives
oLimited government understanding
and support
oNo transparency in decision making
process
oNo accountability to the public on the
decision-making process
oNGOs /Water Users Associations lack
capacity to influence the decision-
making process
oNo mechanisms to voice community
needs to decision makers
oMore public awareness and
information dissemination
oImproved legal framework
oCapacity building and support to
community initiatives
o Empowering communities and NGOs
through participatory experiences
oInvolving local stakeholders into
participatory experiences
oAdvocacy on the local level

8. Project Goal: To promote public participation in
decision-making on issues of management of
transboundary waters of the Chu and Talas Rivers.
oMapping stakeholders
oFocus groups to identify local stakeholders’ needs
oInformation/Stakeholders Directory/Data Base
oCapacity Building Plan
oMechanisms to voice the needs to decision makers
METHODS AND PRACTICAL
TOOLS – THE CHU-TALAS
PROJECT

9. COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION
METHODOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:
o Support and promote community initiatives in
participatory problem solving
o Create local entities that can sustainably
support, promote community development
initiatives and protect citizens' interests

10. COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION
CYCLE
Information
Gathering
Community
Decision
Making
Project
Implementation
Public
Awareness
Securing
Resources
Community
Action Plan
Participatory
Community
Appraisal
Project
Management
Structure
Community
Mobilization
Methodology

11. PCA is a flexible methodological framework
to mobilize communities for implementing solutions
of their own self-defined needs
o Identification and prioritization of the key community needs and
potential solutions
o Identification of available and needed internal and external
resources
o Constructive engagement of government, media, NGOs,
community members and businesses – a.k.a. Social Partnership
o Elected Community Initiative Group with roles and
responsibilities to manage implementation of community
decisions
PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY
APPRAISAL (PCA)

12. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
(CAP)
The CAP articulates:
o Specific problem to be solved
o Actions to address the identified problem
o Who will be involved
o Action and intervention planned timeline
o How actions will be implemented
o Resources required
o Local resources that have been identified
o Expected results

13. COMMUNITY ACTION GRANT
(CAG)
The CAG application must include:
o Articulation of the participatory community appraisal
and action planning processes
o Listing and prioritization of community projects
developed to address those identified needs
o Level of community and local government contributions
o Participation and partnership with local businesses
o Participation of women, youth, and marginalized
segments
o Project feasibility study and sustainability plan

14. PARTICIPATION TOOLS
o Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools such as the
VEN diagram, community mapping, stakeholder
analysis, priority matrix
o Training for community leaders on topics such as
Facilitation Skills, Participatory Community
Appraisal, Project Design, Fundraising, Social
Partnership and Participatory M & E
o Public meetings and information mechanisms
such as budget hearings, suggestion boxes and
community information boards

15. o Consistent community mobilization methodology
o Relevant facilitation of community mobilization process
o Quick success, overcome skepticism, build momentum
o Sustainability and maintenance plans
o Cost share – ownership, project results maintenance
o Grant is a supplement to community self-initiatives
o Implement and enforce procurement standards
o Success should be recognized and celebrated
o Ownership and transparency mechanisms
o Recognition of contributions
PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
SUCCESS FACTORS

16. TANGABLE PARTICIPATION
IMPACTS
Improved Infrastructure: A community council in
rural Uzbekistan utilized participatory techniques in
installing 8.4 kilometres of water pipe. The local
government was so impressed with the efficiency
of the project’s implementation and the impact that
the project had on the community, they engaged
the council and used the same techniques to
provide residents from the neighbouring
community with new water pipe. Nearly 15,000
residents from these two communities now have
reliable access to potable water.

17. TANGABLE PARTICIPATION
IMPACTS
Behavior Change: In Uzbekistan, villages are
learning from their neighbors about the power of
community mobilization. After seeing the results of a
road repair project in the Chech-Dobo Village,
community members from neighboring Jar-Korgon
Village requested PCA activities to fix their main road.
The community reconstructed 8 km of the road and
contributed $400 plus labor costs to the project.

18. TANGABLE PARTICIPATION
IMPACTS
Behavior Change: In Kazakhstan, PCA exercises in
the city of Aqtobe resulted in road repairs on one of the
main thoroughfares in the city. In addition, the
community applied to the local government and a local
business to repair a neighboring water pipe. The local
government and business provided repair of the
streets, cleaning gutters and building a water pipe for
the district’s needs. Hence, PCA approach and
community initiatives lead to effective decision making
processes for solving local problems.

19. TANGABLE PARTICIPATION
IMPACTS
Public Budget Hearings: Although initially reticent, city
government officials of Pavlodar held an open forum to
provide citizens with an opportunity to ask questions and
comment directly on proposed budget changes. Local
government officials provided budget information to the public
and widely publicized the public budget hearing. In
preparation, USAID advisors held a roundtable discussion for
local media, NGOs, city officials and others to help them
better understand public participation. Over 200 persons,
including citizens, city department and agency heads, and
NGO advocates, actively participated. This new willingness of
local government officials to consider their constituents' views
is a good example of the progress being achieved in making
local governments more responsive and accountable.