Identifying And Prioritizing Public Participation Strategies In Policy-Making Using Community-Based Approach (Case‌ Study: Talouqan Municipality, Takhar Province, Afghanistan)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Student in Public Administration University of Sistan and Baluchistan, Zahedan, Iran.

2 Assistant professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, strategies to promote public participation in policy in Talouqan Municipality of Takhar Province, Afghanistan with the theme of social community has been studied. The present research is an applied research and in terms of method it can be considered a descriptive-survey research. The study population in the present study includes 240 employees and managers of Talouqan Municipality in Takhar Province, Afghanistan and 15 university professors in Takhar Province, Afghanistan.Cochran's formula was used to determine the sample size and the sample size was calculated to be 152 people. Then online questionnaires were distributed and the data were collected through this method. The results of the tests showed that the respondents believe that the mass media index has the greatest impact on promoting public participation and ranks first among the indicators. In addition, the indicators of social cohesion, services and facilities, promotion of social trust, elimination of gender discrimination, promotion of political awareness and fair distribution of power are ranked second to sixth, respectively. Accordingly, it is proposed that the new regime in Afghanistan use the capacity of the media and civil society and women to promote participation in the policy-making process. IntroductionParticipation as­ an effective mechanism in public programs and risk reduction in the future is to strengthen the effect of national programs in the future. In addition, participation is a catalyst for social change (Evans et al., 2019: 2). From the UN perspective, participation is the presence of people in the decision-making process and for the growth of social awareness and meeting their needs in the intervention process (Darabi & Abdi et al., 2009: 73). The importance and importance of participation in decision-making is such that much research has been done in different countries. In research, participation is defined as a process by which people can organize themselves and comment on the country's development activities (kuldi, 2003: 3). The concept of policy is defined as "a set of actions or inactions that one or more actors take on a problem or concern" (Smith & Larimer, 2009: 3).In light of the above; the question now arises as to what are the ways to promote public participation in community-oriented policy-making in Talouqan Municipality, Takhar Province, Afghanistan?Case StudyThe population size in the study is 250 employees and managers of Talouqan Municipality in Takhar-Afghanistan province, to determine the sample size of Cochran's formula at a confidence level of 0.95 and p = q = 0.5 and the error value is 0.05 Was used. In this study, the sample size was calculated for 152 people and the data were collected through an online questionnaire and available.Theoretical FrameworkIn fact, participation is a process that includes a variety of individual and group actions in order to intervene in determining one's own destiny and society and to influence decisions about public affairs (Basri, 2009: 81). According to thinkers, if a political revolution is taking place around the world, that revolution is nothing but an explosion of participation. In all the developing and modern countries of the world, people believe that ordinary people should be involved in politics and that people should be involved in politics. Has become commonplace (Millbrae & Gobil, 2007: 1996). Participation means to contribute to something and to benefit from it, or to participate in a group and therefore to cooperate with it. For this reason, from a sociological point of view, a distinction must be made between participation as a state or condition (the matter of participation) and participation as an action and commitment (the act of participation). Participation in the first sense signifies belonging to a particular group and having a share in its existence and in the second sense conveys active participation in the group (Toile, 2003: 66-67). From a global perspective, participation is a process in which stakeholders intervene to oversee development initiatives, decisions, and resources that have an impact on life (World Bank, 2015).Methodologyhe statistical population of this study is the staff and managers of Talouqan Municipality in Takhar-Afghanistan province and considering the importance of the issue, knowledgeable experts, university professors and senior managers will be considered. The population size in the study is 240 employees and managers of Talouqan Municipality and 15 university professors in Takhar's province Afghanistan. To determine the sample size of Cochran's formula at a confidence level of 0.95 and p = q = 0.5 and the error value is 0.05 Was used. In this study, the sample size was calculated for 152 people and the data were collected through an online questionnaire and available.Discussion and Result
 The result has shown in all of the above cases, a significance level of less than 0.05 has been reported, which indicates that all indicators extracted are factors in promoting public participation in policy-making. In addition to the significance level of T-index was more than 1.96, which is another reason to confirm the impact of indicators on promoting public participation in policy-making. The test results show that the respondents believe that the "mass media index" with an average of 3.80 has the greatest impact on promoting public participation and ranks first among the indicators.
In addition, indicators of social cohesion (average 3.51), services and facilities (average 3.43), promotion of social trust (average 3.40), elimination of gender discrimination (average 3.33), promotion of political awareness (average 3, 32) and fair distribution of power (with an average of 3.31) are ranked second to sixth, respectively.
ConclusionFirst hypothesis of research shows that respondents believe strategies based on political capacity have been effective in promoting public participation in policy-making with a community-based approach. On the second hypothesis respondents believe that social capacity-based strategies have been effective in promoting public participation in policy-making with a community-based approach. On third hypothesis based on respondent responses, sometimes strategies based on cultural capacities have been effective in promoting public participation in policy-making with a community-based approach. On the last hypothesis Respondents believe that solutions based on technology capabilities have been effective in promoting public participation in policy-making with a community-based approach.

Keywords

References

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