10-12-2007, Source: Region Rhone Alpes

What role do women and men play in the decisions that affect them and shape the development of the race and the future of the planet? This question sums up the problems that will be tackled by the World Meeting organized by the Rhône-Alpes Regional Authority.

Since the introduction of participatory budgeting at Porto Alegre, Brazil, participatory and decentralized processes have been developing on every continent from Latin America to Asia, from Africa to Europe and in North America. Such projects have seen great acceleration and diversification, and a number of experiments not only in cities but also at local and national levels have challenged systems of representation that are now looking somewhat weary. Participatory democracy has proved so popular that questions are now being asked about whether a new right, that of constituents to play a direct part in government, can be enshrined in constitutions and legal systems.
Participation by constituents at every stage of decisions affecting them is becoming a worldwide question and an essential aspect of alternative development. This takes place in a world where inequality divides not only the rich countries from the poor, but communities within each country.

Resources as vital as water, education, housing, the environment have to be seen as the common property of humanity and therefore not to be traded in the market-place.

Participatory democracy is process democracy both before and after the taking of decisions by assemblies or governments throughout their terms of office. It implies accepting the notion of citizens’ legitimacy.

This implies boosting and diversifying the structures and ways constituents can participate by combining independent initiatives that should be encouraged with initiatives originating in the institutions.

Participatory democracy at local level can only be meaningful if it constitutes a learning situation for participating at other levels in order to contribute to a new development.