Participation by the Affected Population in Relief Operations: A Review of the Experience of DEC Agencies During the Response to the 1998 Famine in South Sudan Report' prepared for ALNAP

 This study attempts to identify empirically, types of participation by beneficiaries and their communities over a geographically and socially limited area. (i.e. South Sudan). This is achieved through a description of the experience of some of the 12 UK based NGOs covered by the Disasters' Emergency Committee (DEC) evaluation of the South Sudan humanitarian programme in consulting with the beneficiaries and involving them in the planning, management, monitoring and evaluation of their humanitarian programmes. Secondly, an attempt is made to draw out some conclusions regarding the circumstances in which it is appropriate, feasible in practice and desirable in principle, for agencies to utilise consultative and participatory (social learning) approaches and the circumstances under which it is not appropriate, or not required, to utilise such approaches. The discussion also includes an analysis of factors, on a broader (perhaps structural) level that might exert limitations to agencies as regards beneficiary involvement. Finally, the study attempts to draw out any evidence of the benefits or disbenefits to programme quality of utilising participatory (social learning) approaches.