Learning Objectives: Public Participation in Africa Workshop

[Agenda] [Learning Objectives]

AFRICAN REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON PUBLIC  PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS MANAGEMENT

November 13-16, 2007
Maseru, Lesotho

General Learning Objectives for Workshop (Draft)

Participants will be able to:

1. Articulate the importance of public participation and the benefits it can bring to participants’ work and to stakeholders and the public;
2. Identify a set of participation tools and techniques, and considerations in using these tools;
3. Identify ways of strategically integrating these tools and techniques into project decision-making and implementation throughout their project cycle/work;
4. Identify peers in region (or beyond) who can assist project in further addressing recognized capacity-building needs regarding participation; and
5. Meet and apply participants’ own personal set of learning objectives to their IW management activities. 

Session 1: Background

Aims: Establish a conceptual framework for public participation in international waters management at different levels (international, national, and local), particularly as it applies to the GEF project cycle, adaptive management, and IWRM.

Session 2: Stakeholder Identification and Analysis

Aims:  Introduce methods for stakeholder identification and analysis; participants will understand how to integrate SHI/SHA into the project cycle.

Session 3: Public and Stakeholder Involvement and Planning  

Aims:  Introduce methods for participation planning; participants will understand why and how to articulate meaningful and achievable participation objectives; participants will understand how to align participation planning with project cycle so that it is integrated into project decision-making and activities. 

Session 4:  Legal and Institutional Frameworks

Aims:  Introduce variety of institutional and legal mechanisms for sustainable participation; participants will discuss common issues related to creation and implementation of legal and institutional frameworks for participation and adaptation of those mechanisms to variety of circumstances. 

Session 5:  Interactive Learning Session

Aims:  Introduce ORASECOM experience as an example of how to institutionalize participation.   Discuss lessons learned as applied to participants’ experiences.

Session 6: Access to Information and Strategic Communications

Aims:  Introduce variety of mechanisms to facilitate information access and strategic communications; discuss key differences between information access and strategic communications and role of each in project success.

Session 7:  Breakout Group Activity

Aims:  Focusing on 1-2 specific projects, participants will undergo planning exercises. These planning exercises will promote peer-to-peer learning, exchange of experiences, and networking.  In addition to providing specific guidance for the 1-2 target projects, participants associated with other projects will learn how to integrate the various tools for involving the public in water management at different levels can be integrated.

Session 8:  Issues of Representivity (Gender, Indigenous Groups, etc.)

Aims:  Introduce concept of representivity in participation and impacts on project planning and implementation; introduce concept of and tools for implementing gender mainstreaming and more effective inclusion of indigenous groups.

Session 9:  Role of Private Sector

Aims:  Highlight the roles of the private sector as a stakeholder in project planning and implementation; discuss issues specific to engaging the private sector in IWM; and consider private sector experiences in engaging the public in water management.

Session 10:  Breakout Groups

Aims:  Participants break into 2-3 groups to discuss issues related to a specific project.  Highlighted project will present relevant background, followed by facilitated discussion regarding specific actions that can be undertaken to improve participation in that project context.  Facilitates peer-to-peer learning and exchange of experiences.