Community-Led Development: Perspectives and Approaches of Four Member Organizations

Abstract

The imperative to promote peaceful, accountable and inclusive societies and institutions has increasingly resulted in the adoption of community-led approaches. Community-led Development (CLD) is widely believed as a crucial approach for communities to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development. This paper explores the perspectives and approaches of CLD among four member organizations of the movement. The research questions addressed were: What are the perspectives and approaches towards CLD amongst four-member organizations? How do the methodologies of these four-member organizations compare to the CLD analytic framework? The data from the organizations was analyzed through the lens of the CLD framework, which categorizes phases of CLD into mindset, capacity, impact and sustainability. The analysis provides a relatively comprehensive understanding of how community-led approaches are implemented at the field-level of international NGOs. The findings highlighted differences in perspectives and approaches of the organizations compared to the analytic framework. One organization demonstrates a relatively comprehensive methodology with respect to the four phases of CLD while the remaining three focus mainly on mindset and capacity aspects. Additional research outcomes include a modified framework and principles and identification of enablers and barriers of CLD. These insights are valuable for organizations and their staff to utilize in advocating for and carrying out CLD approaches.