Empowerment through Decentralization: Conceptions, Contrivances and Connections

Abstract

The coupling of empowerment with decentralization is a relatively new preoccupation, as the rethinking and understanding of empowerment and decentralization have transformed into new connotations and dimensions within the global development community in globalized age. The meaning and nature of empowerment and decentralization mostly depend on the context in which it is being used. There is a growing conception that delivering efficient and effective goods and services is not possible without transforming authority and resources from central government to the local level. Decentralization is the means of providing effective and efficient services to the people at grass roots level as well as the mechanism of empowerment. Moreover, the notion of empowerment is to focus on the elimination of socio-economic and political barriers through the transformation and distribution of power between the government, institutions and community. However, the efficiency and quality of decentralization in terms of empowerment largely depend on, decentralized policy of the central government, institutional and managerial capacities of local agencies and local political power structure. The degree of empowerment differs from situation to situation, depending on the availability of information, implementation of decisions, mechanisms of peoples ’participation and accountability. This paper is a comprehensive study of the empowerment and decentralization considering the conceptual framework and practical implications. In this regard, this paper reviews the conceptions and dimensions of empowerment and decentralization as well as explains the rationale for adopting a decentralization policy in developing countries. This paper also illustrates the mechanisms that are important to empower people and the mechanisms in which form decentralization initiatives are undertaken in developing countries. Finally, this paper measures the impacts of empowerment and decentralization and demonstrates their interrelationships.