Promoting participation: community contributions to education in conflict situations

Community participation is a common phrase in the development and education sectors, along with accompanying terms of good governance, rights, ownership and accountability. Despite the challenges, communities can contribute greatly to reconstruction efforts and conflict resolution. Communities are often among the first to step forward to provide education, which can be highly successful and establish a foundation for partnerships with governments after conflict has subsided. This research explores the roles communities play in providing education in both emergency and reconstruction settings, including Afghanistan, Liberia, Sudan and Uganda. The book recommends that building trust and healing relationships is the first step to ensuring effective implementation of humanitarian or development activities. It suggests that traditional authorities and structures should be revised to ensure that communities are at the centre of the cultural and social dimensions of education activities.