Public participation in urban environmental management : a model for promoting community-based environmental management in peri-urban areas

Model for building community-based environmental management (CM) programmes in peri-urban neighbourhoods. The model employs an approach to capacity building that has been used in the Water and Sanitation for Health Project (WASH) over the past thirteen years. Two processes unfold in parallel: the technical process of identifying and evaluating environmental health processes and the participation process, involving a systematic programme of training and communication. The model is designed to be implemented in one community at a time. As local capacity to initiate and sustain working relationships with peri-urban communities develops, it will become possible to develop a larger, city-wide sustainable CEM effort. The CEM model draws from many sources. It incorporates methods used in various sciences combined with experiences from work with urban communities in the United States. The report describes each of the methods briefly and provides references to more detailed guidance. The report is intended for use by development assistance organisations, including bilateral technical assistance agencies, international NGOs, and multilateral development banks.