World Mountain Symposium 2001: People’s Institutions

8/9/2019 World Mountain Symposium 2001: Peoples Institutions

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World Mountain Symposium 2001 Peoples Institutions

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PEOPLES INSTITUTIONS -

THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OFMOUNTAINS AND THEIRPEOPLE

Chhaya Kunwar

The genesis of the concept of peoples institutions lies in the commitment to provide sustenance to the

development process. This tradition has its root in ancient practices; there have been forums and

peoples institutions through the ages to involve and invoke participation and responses from all

members of the community. The age-old tradition of peoples institutions provides much-needed

sustenance to any development process, program or action. Experience and learning at the grass-roots

level have proved that strengthening and promoting village peoples institutions is the first and most

important step in a participatory approach to sustainable development. Village-based peoples

institutions are a basic unit of development that plays an essential and important role in the development

of a village and its community. Whether it is the issue of management, utilization and conservation of

forests, the question of managing irrigation systems, maintenance of water resources or organisation of

cultural and social activities in the village, peoples institutions, peoples forums and community groups

have always been in the forefront. As an immense treasure of knowledge, practical experience,

managerial skills and cultural values, these peoples institutions have always been a key to peoples

empowerment. The feeling of being part of a village-based peoples institution or community group

enables local people to realize their potentials and their strengths and to act in a collective and

responsive manner.

In Uttrakhand region of the Hindukush Himalaya, there has been a rich tradition of village-based peoples

institutions since time immemorial. Mahila Mangal Dals (Village Womens Institutions), Yuvak Mangal Dal

(Village Youth Institutions) and Traditional Users Groups are examples of village-level peoples

institutions that have evolved through a long process of institution building, and have been involved in

conservation, management and protection of natural resources for centuries.

Local peoples institutions and their system the binding

force behind successful management of natural resourcesAnalysis of traditional practices and natural resource management reveals that the religious sentiments,

traditional knowledge, cultural practices and social beliefs of people and peoples institutions have been

the binding force in successful management of natural resources in mountain areas. Experience and

learning at the grass-roots level has provided plenty of examples of village-based peoples institutions in

mountain areas. This has paved the way for peoples empowerment as well as sustainable development

of mountains. The example of Manpai Alpine pasture illustrates this well. The Manpai Alpine pasture area

in Chamoli, Uttrakhand, a place known for its unique collection of numerous species, is not a protected

area or a reserve. The strength of peoples institutions, the systems they have devised, their social beliefs

and their religious sentiments are behind the successful management and conservation of Alpine

pastures. Management of this system has very interesting aspects. Amidst the valley of the Manpai is a


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Dals was behind the success of this forest movement. We also have many examples of successful

womens van Panchayats (village peoples forest protection committees) and Mahila Mangal Dals

(Womens Groups at Village Level) in Uttrakhand, which are the best community-based institutions

involved in natural resource management.

These womens institutions not only make significant contributions to preserving and regenerating the

natural wealth of the Himalaya, but also make an important economic contribution through cost-saving

measures and direct productivity.

A unique ecological movement of daughters of the Himalaya is worth mentioning here. It was the urge

to conserve forest wealth that gave birth to the idea ofMaiti forest, in Chamoli District of Uttrakhand

region.Maiti means mothers home. Since this movement starts from the mothers home, it was called

the Maiti Movement. The young girls of the village joined and are still joining hands to build a Maiti

Forest. This process starts with nurseries and the formation of Maiti groups of village girls. Because of

the involvement of young girls in it this movement is also known as The Movement of the Daughters ofHimalaya. On the occasion of marriage of any Maiti girl, the bride and bridegroom plant a sapling under

the auspicious chanting of mantras by the Brahmin. The other Maiti girls also plant their saplings in the

village. This plantation program is an essential component of every marriage ceremony. The

responsibility to take care of the plants rests with the Maiti girls. The parents of the bride also have a

special attachment to care for the tree as it is an embodiment of their girl. Today the region flourishes

with these Maiti trees, which also fulfil other essential needs.

The Maiti Movement today has spread to nine hundred villages that bring the same idea to the fore. The

movement blended with the ongoing cultural practices of the people and imbibed within itself the

emotional sentiments of the people. There were no heavy inputs of resources or funds to build the

system and today the movement finds its roots in nearly nine hundred villages without any investment. Ithas replicated on its own. The women of Uttrakhand have taken the lead role in carrying on this cultural

movement in order to preserve the diversity and natural heritage of the Himalayas.

Village-based peoples institutions and disaster

managementWe have to recognise the important role that these village-based institutions play. We all are well aware

of the fact that mountain areas, especially if we take the example of Uttrakhand in Hindukush Himalayas,

are disaster-prone areas. Frequent landslides, earthquakes, cloud bursts and forest fires have posed a

threat to the survival of mountain communities. In this situation strengthening Peoples Institutions has

become very essential, as they have a very important role to perform. At the time of any natural disaster

in mountain areas, it is the village level institution within the village and in surrounding villages that has to

stand at the forefront at the time of any natural calamity. Any government or development agency,

voluntary organisation, or NGO takes time to reach the affected areas, so if these village-level

institutions are strengthened, we not only prepare them for their active participation in the development

process but also enable them to face the severe challenges of nature in a collective way. Instead of

investing tremendous amounts of money in creating a new structure for Disaster Management, these

Peoples Institutions should be equipped with necessary information, technical knowledge, training andresources to manage the situation at the time of chaos.


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Village-level institutions, the representative body of people residing in the same village, are the only

institutions that are well acquainted with the needs, problems issues, and priorities of village people.

They can be the best planners, implementers and evaluators of any development plan aimed at bringing a

qualitative change in the socio-economic life of the people and also in the management, conservation and

protection of natural resources.

We can see that the village level Peoples Institution plays a very important role in the development of

villages as well as in resource management. But for many years, rapidly changing socio-economic,

political and cultural scenarios at the macro level and their direct and indirect impacts at micro level have

affected the village-based community institution in a major way. The age-old tradition of working

together, a sense of collectiveness and belonging and community feeling, has been lost somewhere in the

increasing trend of consumerism and materialism at the macro and micro levels. This is also due to the

past trend in development that never gave due recognition to the knowledge and practical experiences

of local people.

The new concept of development is slowly recognising the need to involve local people in the process of

development, and community participation is being given high priority in development programmes.

Now it is also increasingly being acknowledged and realized that no sustainable development can take

place without involving the community in some kind of development process. The current situation has

compelled us to go back to the local communities or peoples institutions that we have been forgetting

for a long time and that have always played a vital role in village development and resource management.

Seeking community participation through village-based

peoples institutionsThe new concept of development gives great emphasis to community participation and it is becoming an

integral part of all national development programmes and major development projects funded by large

big international agencies. Formation of village-level institutions under the program has been envisaged

as a very important tool for involving village people in developmental activities and eliciting their

participation. Peoples participation through a village-based Peoples Institution is a very positive aspect

of any development program, especially focused on resource management. Emphasis is being given to

the involvement of women and other weaker sectors of society in planning the implementation of

project activities. Though this is very limited, it has at least brought them into the social space, which

otherwise remained restricted. This strategy has provided a good opportunity for people to put their

needs and priorities forth during the planning of activities to be carried out under the project. Village-

based Peoples Institutions are playing a very important role during the course of project implementation

in this respect.

Challenges in strenghtening peoples institutions

Models of the institution are being imposedAs previously mentioned, community participation has become a priority agenda for all big development

projects funded by big International funding agencies in developing countries. To elicit the active


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If there is no institution then an institution formation process should be started. For example in one

village if there is already aVan Panchayat or aMahila Mangal Dal functioning and protecting the forest,

there is no need to form another institution with another name. These already existing institutions can

be involved in the program by strengthening and enhancing the managerial and functional capacities of

the people.

Some suggestions for the future

Capacity-building an integral part of institution strengthening for

sustainable developmentSince these community institutions play a vital role in resource management and development processes,

efforts should be made to enhance the capacity of the people who run them. The institution survives if

efforts are focused on strengthening of a system in which every person plays his or her role and the

system sustains itself by age-old tradition and practice. Peoples institutions have been the strength of

mountain communities and this strength has helped them to manage and conserve their resources in a

very effective and sustainable way. The strength of already existing village-based institutions is still to be

recognised when designing big development projects, especially for developing countries. Instead of

creating another institution, input should be focused on promoting and strengthening already existing

peoples institutions, by equipping them with necessary information, technical know-how, and capacity

building in the area of institution management, program planning, monitoring and evaluation. Only then

will the program be recognised as a peoples program and involve people not only for their contribution

in the form of labour and money but also inculcate a feeling of responsibility and accountability towards

the programme, which ultimately leads to the sustainability of the development process.

Since Peoples Institution are being recognised as the best means to elicit peoples active participation in

development programmes, regular capacity building of these institutions should be an integral part of any

development program.

Effectiveness and sustainability of the institutionEffectiveness and sustainability are the most significant aspects of peoples institutions. Effectiveness and

sustainability can be seen in terms of objectives, structure, internal process and functioning, decision-

making, and financial management of the institution. Our efforts must be in the direction of promotingeffectiveness and sustainability by regular capacity building of the people associated with these

institutions. This should be a priority in any kind of intervention at village level, if we are really serious

about the effectiveness and sustainability of these institutions.

Participation must be seen in much broader termsIt is time that we see participation in much broader terms. If we are to define participation in a true

sense, we must incorporate peoples ideas, opinions, myths, values and beliefs, traditions, institutions.

Without strengthening and empowering village-based peoples institutions, we cannot think of

sustainable development. Integration of these institutions in decision-making at policy level, and due

recognition of their immense traditional knowledge, practical experiences and managerial skills, which

have been practiced for centuries for protection, conservation and management of their natural


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resources, will be a major factor in effective implementation of any policy or programme intended to

bring sustainable development in an area. Thus strengthening village-based peoples institutions and

incorporation of local knowledge in any development process is an urgent need today.

Changing the structure of project implementing agencies involved in

building and strengthening peoples institutionsIn most cases it has been observed that emphasis is being given to adopting participatory approaches at

village level only, especially for seeking community participation in project activities. But at the same

time, there is an essential need to bring a much-needed change in the structure of an agency involved or

engaged in the development of institutions under major development programmes. The structure of the

implementing agency must be participatory in nature at higher levels as well. Due to a lack of this

important aspect, the real message or sense of participation is missing at grass-roots level. The other

important point that must be taken into account is that we cannot inculcate a sense of belonging andaccountability to the programme among local people if we emphasize a participatory approach in one

particular program while the rest of the programme and policies of the same department are being run

in the same old rigid framework.(no peoples involvement)

Secondly, when an institution is being formed at village level the implementing agency should not hold

any key post in the institution. If it happens it gives a clear message that the agency wants to control the

institution and run it according to its own rules and regulations under a rigid framework. The role of the

agency should be as a facilitator of the process and a motivator. When it is a local peoples institution,

people should have right to run it and form the rules and regulations according to their needs, priorities

and management system.

Short term and long term planningThe other most significance aspects related to institution development under any programme are the

short-term and long-term planning. Short-term planning is very good but somewhere long-term planning

is missing. In 80% to 90% of projects in developing countries, institutions were created during the

project tenure and later people forgot even the existence of these institutions. The difference is clear.

The institutions survived if they were born out of the need and necessity of the people rather than that

of the project. They survived if they evolved from the process rather than trusting the project.

We have always talked of institution creation but not of institution building. It is very important

to consider what efforts should be made to enhance the capacity of people who run their institution and

consider how these institutions can be more effective and sustainable. There should be more investment

in the long-term sustainability of these institutions right from planning stage. Institutions survive if efforts

are focused on strengthening the system where every person plays his or her role and the system

sustains it self by age-old traditions and practices.

The need to give due recognition to contributions by womens

institutions in management of resources As I have already mentioned Uttrakhand region of Hindukush Himalaya, where I come from, is well

known for the strong and active role of women and womens institutions in all environmental protection

activities. Their traditions, knowledge and practical experiences have proved that sustainabledevelopment cannot be achieved without full integration of women in resource management. We cannot


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think of sustainable development of mountains without considering women as equal partners in the

development process. Mahila Mangal Dals (Village level Womens Institution) were at the forefront of

the Chipko Movement, the world-famous forest movement in Uttrakhand region. They saved, managed

and conserved forest wealth through women forest committees. But their knowledge, experiences and

practical managerial skills are not being incorporated into any policy framework.

How to incorporate the knowledge and practical experiences of womens institutions in policy and

programme planning is a major question. It should be given high priority by policymakers. Women

provide living examples of successful management of resources, with their own history exclusive of any

project. Their institutions have developed in a process of evolution. Such institutions must be recognised

in any long-term concept of sustainability.

Learning from past experience tells us that no village, no society, no nation can progress without

promoting and strengthening local peoples institutions which are the basic unit of development and local

self-governance. To promote and strengthen peoples institutions, it is imperative to recognise andhonour the knowledge, experiences and cultural values of local people. Empowering communities by

organising them and facilitating the process of institution building and by strengthening already existing

village-based peoples institutions can be a very constructive approach to fostering the process of

sustainable community development. Current development planning and projects do not always

consider the experiences, knowledge, social beliefs and cultural practices of people and their traditional

need-based institutions. Sustainable development requires looking into peoples learning and their

systems, learning from them and translating them into practice.

An abstract of the paper Without strengthening and empowering village based peoples institutions, we cannot think of

sustainable development. Experiences and learning at grass root level provided a plenty of examples of

village based peoples institutions in mountain areas, which have paved the way for peoples

empowerment as well as sustainable development of mountains. These village- based peoples

institutions have been the strength of the mountain community and this strength helps them to manage

their resources in a very effective, systematic and sustainable way. Integration of these peoples

institutions in decision making at policy level and giving due recognition to their immense traditional

knowledge, practical experiences and managerial skills, practicing since centuries for protection,

conservation and management of their natural resources, will be a major factor for effectiveimplementation of any policy or program intended to bring sustainable development in the area.

In Uttrakhand region of the Central Himalaya people have rich and strong tradition of working in

collectives since time immemorial. Mahila Mangal Dals (Village Women Group), Yuvak Mangal Dal

(Village Youth Group) Traditional Van Panchayats are the best examples of village level peoples

institutions, which have been evolved through a long process and not imposed by others.

Though the new development process is slowly recognizing the need of involving local people in the

process of development and community participation is being given high priority in any program, but

instead of recognizing the experiences, knowledge and practical skills of already existing peoples

institution in the village, new institutions are being formed in the villages under different programs. As a

result if there are three programs being implemented in one village there are three groups at a time with

different names. Instead of strengthening and empowering already existed institution or previously


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formed institution, one more institution is being formed in the village with a new name. This situation is

leading to a state of confusion among villagers and some time conflicts are cropping up between two

institutions with in the village on the issue of access and control over resources. This new culture of

forming one after another village institution has weakened the strength of our age-old peoples

institutions, which have been evolved through a long process and are the source of immense local

knowledge.

Increased materialism and consumerism due to privatization, globalization and liberalization has also

contributed a lot to disintegration of village based peoples institution which have been forums to evolve

and invoke participation and responses from all the members of the community in the process of

sustainable development. So, strengthening village- based peoples institutions and incoporation of local

knowledge in any development process is the urgent need of the hour today.

Documents

World Mountain Symposium 2001: People’s Institutions