Paper short abstract:

Knowledge coproduced with communities through participatory assessment of living conditions is simple to understand for researchers, practitioners, and laymen. Solutions are coproduced and pursued by women’s groups by way of polite negotiations with civic authorities to improve slum infrastructure.

Paper long abstract:

Urban Health Resource Centre (UHRC) pursued qualitative participatory neighborhood level assessments of sewerage, toilets, garbage disposal and water-supply with slum women’s groups, based on lived experience using simple, actionable indicators. These assessments were done using three color scale: red for poor condition, yellow for moderate condition and green for good condition across slums.

Slum women’s groups themselves identify priority infrastructure needs requiring efforts. Prioritized actions emerge with community knowledge. The NGO guides women’s groups in preparing and submitting community requests to civic authorities. The power equation between political and administrative authorities initially made communities hesitant in submitting requests for slum infrastructure works, despite understanding the importance of collective negotiation. Appreciative mentorship of community groups helped them politely negotiate through written and verbal requests and reminders. Women’s groups eventually succeed in pulling municipal services to their neighborhoods.

Community and NGO coproduce knowledge and this stimulates efforts to redress prioritized challenges. Collective community assessment and community wisdom drive prioritized demand-side actions, representing collective self-efficacy. Their tenacity leads to perseverant efforts with reminders. Amiable rapport building with politicians and civic authorities brings negotiation efforts to positive outcomes.

The role of NGOs in supporting the negotiation processes by vulnerable communities with politicians and authorities can help advance social justice and increase their contribution in making urban governance accountable. This helps civic authorities utilize allocated funds for services to urban poor communities.