For example, where a country has a well developed participatory parliamentary system, the need for exhaustive participatory processes is somewhat less and the emphasis could shift to realignment toward poverty reduction and increased opportunities for participation in the political system, increased information flows and feedback. Participation in the formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategies leads to more effective, better-developed policies and thus, to a reduction in poverty. First, participation permits policymakers to incorporate, the priorities of the poor, as well as the views of other stakeholders, and increases the understanding of poverty, which to the poor has many more dimensions than simply lack of income. With this expanded view of poverty comes the realization that reducing poverty calls for integrated public actions across sectors. Second, participation can build partnerships, based on trust and consensus, between government and society at all levels.
Trust allows dialogue, and consensus enables all stakeholders to work toward a common goal.
Inclusion of, and contribution by, a range of stakeholders fosters country ownership of the strategy and empowerment of stakeholders, particularly at community levels. Third, participation can help clarify tradeoffs required with other development priorities and determine which delivery mechanisms and partnerships are most effective in reaching the poor. Finally, feedback of information and continuous improvement in implementation and monitoring enhance transparency and accountability in decision-making, public actions, and expenditures and increase the sustainability of efforts to reduce poverty. Each of these stages is considered in the Participation chapter and in this Guide .