Social development workshop seeks to model empowerment through participation

Social development workshop seeks to model empowerment through participation

New York—19 February 2014

The seating layout was more like a restaurant or wedding reception than your typical NGO side-event. Rather than in rows opposite a podium, the chairs were set up around four tables, so that participants were facing each other for intimate conversation.

The idea was to foster exactly kind of participation and empowerment that was the main theme of the UN Commission for Social Development this year. And, according to those in attendance, the event succeeded in this regard.

“I thought it was energizing,” said Celena Zadi, a participant from a New York-based NGO. “What was very interesting was it was not based on a sole perspective. It was a collective perspective, and that causes something to awaken in you. As someone here said, the power is within us… there is power within numbers.”

Omotunde Ellen Thompson of the Center for Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria agreed: “This reminds me of the importance of groups. People together are more empowered than alone.”

The event was sponsored by the Baha’i International Community and had the title “emPOWERment: Power, Capacity and the Requirements of Social Change.”

About 30 individuals came to the BIC offices for the event, which was held 19 February 2014.

“Our idea was to use an empowering approach to generate knowledge and, hopefully, develop a deeper understanding of the nature and implications of power,” said Daniel Perell, a representative of the BIC to the UN.

“We hoped that by discussing power and empowerment -- our preconceived notions of it, how it is expressed, and how it can best be exercised – that together we would develop a more nuanced and constructive understanding.”

To that end, participants were asked first, when they entered the room, to write a single word that they felt exemplified power. This was placed on a wall.

They were then assigned tables, and, with the help of a facilitator, asked to discuss a series of questions, which included: “In your experience, what are some sources of power?” and “Do you think power can be gained or lost? How?”

From these initial questions, participants at each of the four tables entered into wide ranging discussions, which were then reported to the group.

Among other things, participants concluded that “external power” over issues like wealth or military force is largely driven by material concerns whereas “internal power” often emerges from spiritual concerns, such as morality or collaboration.

In the workshop’s second phase, participants were asked to read and reflect on two case studies – one about a small Cambodian NGO motivating young people to serve their communities and another about the negotiating process at the Rio + 20 Conference in 2012 – and to consider the ways in which “power” and “empowerment” flowed through each. (See attached workshop handout.)

“It was helpful to have the two concrete case studies, one showing the experience that the local level and the other at the global level,” said Veronica Brand of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary.