Partnership and Empowerment: The Experience of the EQUAL Initiative

Abstract

Two distinctive features of the EQUAL Community Initiative are highlighted: working in partnership and empowerment. We recognize that the convergence of these two requirements brings significant added value to the EQUAL programme, in particular its contribution to increased participation and accountability of civil society in the implementation of social policies and to improving the responses and effectiveness of interventions fighting inequality and social exclusion and the adaptation of organizations to a new economy. A first reflection on the challenges facing "development partnerships" is identified and critical factors to be monitored over the two years of project implementation are identified.