"participatory group discussions" PGDs)(, which are focus group discussions that employ participatory activities throughout, focused on the challenges people who are refugees face when accessing different types of aid; which challenges present the most difficulty for women and girls, and how they respond when faced with violence. participatory research. In Section 8.4 you will trace historical context of participatory evaluation and learn about participatory evaluation tools. Structure 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Research 8.2.1 Conventional Research Paradigm 8.2.2 Its Critique 8.3 Emergence of Participatory Research (PR) 8.3.1 Roots in Adult Education Practices A variety of participatory tools are used as part of the Reflection-Action process to help people to analyse rights and power and to better understand and plan action on the issues that affect them. Asking people directly about such issues can lead to silence, fear or confusion. The tools provide structure to the process and encourage discussion, enabling people to base their analysis on the PARTICIPATORY M&E . Participatory M&E is about engaging different stakeholders, especially targeted beneficiaries, in monitoring and evaluation processes. It is done to generate better M&E information and/or to empower stakeholders . It is facilitated through two main approaches. The first is a set of tools and methods used to enable effective M&E. Participatory Mapping as a tool for empowerment Experiences and lessons learned from the ILC network StefanoDiGessa with contributions from PeterPoole Participatory tools are designed for use by professionals, development agents or facilitators and advocates working directly with communities, most of which include many illiterate people. They also allow their users to benefit from local experience. Participatory methods employ visualization and oral communication techniques. 2. Participatory assessment: tools for empowering, learning and legitimating? Matthijs Hisschemöller and Eefje Cuppen INTRODUCTION Since the 1960s, a large number of participatory assessment tools and methods have been developed for use in a wide variety of policy venues and fields. There are many opinions on what participatory tools are about. - Recognising the advantages and shortcomings of participatory approaches Session 1: River Code The River Code is a role-play exercise designed to help participants think about development as a process. It also emphasises the importance of being active, and having an open-minded, inquisitive attitude towards development. participatory tools and approaches that can be used to work, plan and reflect with and alongside communities. PLA as a philosophy PLA is located within a broader field of participatory approaches, which can be described as a "family of approaches, methods, attitudes and behaviours to enable and empower people to share, analyse and enhance their Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) encompasses a broad range of methods to enable local people to analyse their own realities as the basis for planning, monitoring and evaluating development activities. PRA uses group exercises to facilitate information sharing, analysis, and action among stakeholders. The expansion in interest and application of participatory methods has led to a growing demand for handbooks or manuals but those might carry special dangers. The participatory methods described in this manual are not necessarily techniques, tools or instruments. They do no