Society for Participatory Research in Asia

Society for Participatory Research in Asia
Name	Society for Participatory Research in Asia
Formation	1982
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	New Delhi, India
Region served	South Asia
Language	English, Hindi
Leader title	Director

Society for Participatory Research in Asia is a non-governmental organization founded in 1982 in New Delhi focused on participatory research, community engagement, and grassroots development. It works across South Asia with networks drawn from civil society, academia, and international agencies to support participatory methods in rural and urban contexts. The organization engages with movements, institutions, and multilateral bodies to influence policy and practice in participatory action research and social inclusion.

History

Founded in 1982, the organization emerged amid regional debates influenced by figures and institutions such as Vikram Sarabhai, E. F. Schumacher, Gandhian movements, and the legacy of People's Science Movement (India). Early partnerships included collaborations with Indian Council of Social Science Research, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and development networks linked to Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. During the 1980s and 1990s it engaged with postcolonial governance debates alongside actors like Amartya Sen, Jean Drèze, Arundhati Roy, and institutions such as Centre for Science and Environment and ActionAid India. In the 2000s it adapted participatory methods used in projects with UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, and regional bodies like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. The organization has intersected with movements and events including Chipko Movement, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Right to Information Act, 2005 (India), and roles played by activists such as Medha Patkar and Aruna Roy.

Objectives and Approach

The organization’s stated objectives align with principles advanced by thinkers and institutions like Paulo Freire, Ibrahim Abouleish, and BankInformation Centre advocates: empowering marginalized communities through participatory action research, capacity building, and policy advocacy. Its methodological approach integrates techniques associated with Participatory Rural Appraisal, Action Research, and practices informed by seminars at Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and London School of Economics. Strategic goals connect with policy frameworks from United Nations, UNESCO, and International Labour Organization and link operationally to initiatives led by National Institute of Rural Development (India), Ministry of Rural Development (India), and regional NGOs such as PRIA and SEWA. The approach emphasizes collaborative inquiry, iterative evaluation, and documentation used by researchers at Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, Institute of Development Studies, and Centre for Policy Research.

Programs and Activities

Programs encompass participatory research projects, training workshops, documentation, and advocacy campaigns implemented in partnership with organizations like Oxfam, CARE International, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and foundations such as Gates Foundation. Fieldwork sites have included districts and regions associated with Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Activities include participatory monitoring with coalitions like National Alliance of People's Movements, gender-focused initiatives informed by work at International Center for Research on Women, and health-related studies intersecting with Indian Council of Medical Research and World Health Organization protocols. The organization runs capacity-building programs linked to curricula at TISS, certificate courses associated with IGNOU, and collaborative pilots with State Health Departments and urban projects with municipal partners such as Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Organizational Structure and Governance

The organizational structure reflects governance practices common to Indian NGOs, with a board and executive team comparable to boards at Pratham, Azim Premji Foundation, and SNEHA. Advisory inputs have come from academics affiliated with JNU, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and public intellectuals connected to Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. Funding streams mirror those of peer organizations receiving grants from European Commission, SIDA, DFID, and philanthropic trusts like JRD Tata Trusts and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library endowments. Accountability mechanisms reference standards set by bodies such as Charities Aid Foundation and legal frameworks including Societies Registration Act and compliance with guidelines discussed at forums like NGO Darpan.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The organization has collaborated with a wide array of partners: academic partners like University of Manchester, University of Sussex, Columbia University, and Stanford University; international agencies such as UNDP, UN Women, IFAD, and Asian Development Bank; and civil society networks including Right to Food Campaign, National Alliance of People’s Movements, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, and Kudumbashree. Project alliances also involved research centers such as Centre for Policy Research, Observer Research Foundation, and Institute of Development Studies (IDS), as well as technical partners like Digital Green and DataKind for monitoring and evaluation.

Impact and Recognition

The organization’s contributions have been recognized in policy discussions, academic citations, and practitioner networks, appearing in analyses by World Bank, UNESCO, and journals linked to SAGE Publications, Taylor & Francis, and Cambridge University Press. Its methods influenced state-level policy pilots and community programs cited by leaders associated with Prakash Javadekar, Manmohan Singh, and administrators in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India). Awards and acknowledgements have been noted in contexts similar to honors from Nobel laureates-linked forums, recognitions at conferences including World Social Forum and International Development Conference gatherings, and mentions in case compilations by Institute of Development Studies and Harvard Kennedy School. The organization’s legacy persists through networks of practitioners in South Asia connected to universities, social movements, and multilateral institutions.

Category:Non-profit organisations based in India