Improved participation and access to information in the development process is not just about advocating for improved policy and practice among those deciding development. IAP believes access to information and improved participation is multi-directional: the personal experience and expertise from communities, activists, and local civil society should be exchanged with and contribute to information held by governments, companies, and development finance institutions.
IAP operates within this gap, recognizing the narratives of communities and local civil society are not factored in a timely or representative way, if at all, into the development process. Also, the information held by those actually deciding on development is routinely not made available to those who will be impacted – positively or negatively. Even if the development project materials are publicly available, they often have inadequate, incomplete and inaccessible information.
IAP works to improve the access to and exchange of information in the development process and places the priorities of communities at the center.
