Cesc p3 Core Values and Principles of Community Action Initiatives

M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T ,
CO
A R IT Y , A N D CI T IZ E N S H I P
SOLID DR. GERALD T . M AL A BA RB A S
, S ch o o l o f G r a d uate Studies
Dean
R e s e a rc h a nd D evelopment
r
Director, Center fo
C. CORE VALUES AND
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY-
ACTION INITIATIVES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES & COMPETENCIES
• Explain the core values of community action initiatives. HUMSS_CSC12-IIIh-j-12.
• Promote awareness of human rights in communities among the learners.
HUMSS_CSC12-IIIh-j-13.
• Appraise the value of social equity and gender equality in the context of
participatory development. HUMSS_CSC12-IIIh-j-14.
• Analyze strategies of empowerment and advocacy through community action.
HUMSS_CSC12-IIIh-j-15.
• Develop commitment and conviction to participatory development for community
well-being. HUMSS_CSC12-IIIh-j-16.
TOPICS:
1. HUMAN RIGHTS
2. SOCIAL JUSTICE
3. EMPOWERMENT & ADVOCACY
4. PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT
5. GENDER EQUALITY
C.1
HUMAN
RIGHTS
HUMAN RIGHTS
• Human rights are commonly understood as being those rights which are inherent
to the human being.
• It acknowledges that every single human being is entitled to enjoy his or her
human rights without distinction as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
• Human rights are legally guaranteed by human rights law, protecting individuals
and groups against actions which interfere with fundamental freedoms and human
dignity.
• It is the supreme, inherent, and inalienable rights to life, to dignity, and to self-
development. It is concerned with issues in both areas of civil and political rights
and economic, social and cultural rights founded on internationally accepted
human rights obligations (UN Human Rights, n.d.).
HUMAN RIGHTS: Basic understanding…
• Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the
world, from birth until death.
• They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to
live your life.
• They can never be taken away, although they can sometimes be restricted – for
example if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national security.
• These basic rights are based on shared values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect
and independence.
• These values are defined and protected by law.
• Source: What are human rights? https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-
rights/what-are-human-rights
HUMAN RIGHTS: How does it help you?
• Human rights are relevant to all of us, not just those who face repression or
mistreatment.
• They protect you in many areas of your day-to-day life, including:
• your right to have and express your own opinions
• your right to an education
• your right to a private and family life
• your right not to be mistreated or wrongly punished by the state
• Source: What are human rights? https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-

rights/what-are-human-rights
HUMAN RIGHTS: Context in the Philippines
• After the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the succeeding government
established the Presidential Committee on Human Rights whose “primary task [was]
to assist the President in the discharge of her duty to respect and foster human
rights.”2 But the work of the Committee was cut short in 1987 with the ratification
of the new Philippine Constitution that provided for the establishment of the
Commission on Human Rights. The Commission on Human Rights absorbed the
powers and functions of the Committee.
• The 1987 Constitution provides the Commission on Human Rights of the
Philippines (CHRP) with the power to establish “a continuing program of research,
education, and information to enhance respect for the primacy of human rights” and
to recommend to the legislative body “effective measures to promote human
rights.”(Ofreneo, n.d.)
HUMAN RIGHTS: What are the basic human rights in the Philippines?
• Human rights in the Philippines are still anchored on the International Bill of
Rights
• The right to equality and freedom from discrimination.
• The right to life, liberty, and personal security.
• The right of freedom from torture and degrading treatment.
• The right to equality before the law.
• The right to a fair trial.
• The right to privacy.
• The right of freedom of belief and religion.
• The right of freedom of opinion and expression.
• Read more on the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article 3, Sections 1-24.
HUMAN RIGHTS: What are the basic human rights in the
Philippines?
HUMAN RIGHTS: Let us have mind exercises…
The learners will answer the following with the phrases: “in
every case”, in most cases”, and “in some cases”.
1. Killing is wrong.
2. All people should be treated equally.
3. All people have the right to medical help if they are ill.
4. All people have a right to education.
5. People should be allowed to travel and leave the country if they wish.
C.2
SOCIAL
JUSTICE
SOCIAL JUSTICE: Basic understanding…
• Justice is the concept of fairness.
• Social justice is fairness as it manifests in society. That includes fairness in
healthcare, employment, housing, and more. Discrimination and social justice are not
compatible.
• While “social justice” as a term sees widespread use these days, it’s not new. It
appears in The Federalist Papers and was most likely first used in the 1780s.
• As the Industrial Revolution wound down, American legal scholars applied the term
to economics. Now, social justice applies to all aspects of society, including race and
gender, and it is closely tied to human rights.
• Source: What does social justice mean?
https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-social-justice-mean/
SOCIAL JUSTICE: In the Philippine Context
ARTICLE XIII
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• Section 1. The Congress shall give highest priority to the enactment of measures that
protect and enhance the right of all the people to human dignity, reduce social,
economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by equitably
diffusing wealth and political power for the common good.
• To this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use, and disposition of
property and its increments.
• Section 2. The promotion of social justice shall include the commitment to create
economic opportunities based on freedom of initiative and self-reliance.
• Source: The 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIII
SOCIAL JUSTICE: Its Principles…
Social justice depends on four essential goals: human rights,
access, participation, and equity. Social justice can’t be
achieved without these four principles.
• Human Rights. The connection between social justice
and human rights has strengthened over the years. It has
become clear to activists and governments that one can’t
exist without the other. When a society is just, it protects
and respects everyone’s human rights. This connection is
essential since human rights are recognized globally.
Various treaties help keep governments accountable.
• Access. Being able to access essentials like shelter, food,
and education is crucial for a just society. If access is
restricted based on factors like gender, race, or class, it
leads to suffering for individuals, communities, and
society as a whole. Social justice activists work to
increase and restore access, giving everyone equal
opportunities for a good life.
• Participation. Social justice isn’t possible if only some
voices are heard. Unfortunately, that’s often what
happens and the voices of the marginalized and
vulnerable are silenced. Even when society tries to
address problems, solutions won’t work if those most
affected can’t participate in the process. Participation
must be encouraged and rewarded so that everyone –
especially those who haven’t had a chance before – can
speak.
• Equity. Social Many people believe that “equality” is one of the principles
of social justice, but it’s actually “equity.” What’s the difference? Equity
takes into account the effects of discrimination and aims for an equal
outcome. There’s a graphic that demonstrates this well:
three people are trying to see over a fence. One of them is already tall and
able to see – they represent the most privileged in society. The other can just
barely see and the last person – the most vulnerable in society – can’t see at
all. “Equality” gives everyone one box to stand on, even though the tallest
person doesn’t need it and it still doesn’t allow the shortest person to see.
“Equity” doesn’t give the privileged person any boxes. Instead, the middle
person gets one box and the last gets two. Now, everyone is at an equal
level.
• Source: What does social justice mean? https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-

social-justice-mean/
SOCIAL JUSTICE: Are there issues with it?
With the four principles we discussed above, social justice is
possible. Where is social justice needed? Depending on the
nation, some social justice issues are more pressing than
others. Overall, most societies struggle with similar ones.
Here are a few examples:
• Racial equality. Racial inequality is one of the most
common social justice issues in the world. Most states
have a history of racial discrimination and prejudice of
some kind. It affects a racial group’s ability to find work,
get access to healthcare, and receive an equal education.
• Gender equality. The way things stand, it will take 100 years
for global gender equality to become a reality. In the United
States, it’s 208 years away. Obstacles like the gender pay gap,
weakening reproductive rights, and unequal education
opportunities hold women back. Social justice activists
consider gender equality, which affects other issues like racial
equality, one of the most important social justice issues of our
time.
• LGBTQ rights. Being People in the LGBTQ+ community
face high levels of violence and discrimination all over
the world. Among other challenges, it affects their ability
to find employment, shelter, healthcare, and safety. It’s
more dangerous in some states than others, but even in
the most progressive countries, social justice for the
LGBTQ+ community is not well-established.
SOCIAL JUSTICE: Let us have mind exercises…
Directions: TRUE OR FALSE. Read and understand the statement below, write capital
letter T if the statement is true and write capital letter F if the statement is false. Write
your answer in the given space before the number.
___1. Social justice is the reasonable relationship between the individual and society.
___2. Practicing equal treatment to each and every one in a community is an example of
existing social justice.
___3. Enjoy being a wealthy man is a form of social justice.
___4. Giving alms to the poor for your political agenda is good practice of social justice.
___5. Having a productive community is the important of social justice.
C.3
EMPOWERMENT
& ADVOCACY
EMPOWERMENT: Basic understanding…
• At the core of the concept of empowerment is the idea of power.
• Power is often related to our ability to make others do what we want, regardless of
their own wishes or interests.
• Traditional social science emphasizes power as influence and control, often treating
power as a commodity or structure divorced from human action.
• The possibility of empowerment depends on two things. First, empowerment
requires that power can change. If power cannot change, if it is inherent in positions
or people, then empowerment is not possible, nor is empowerment conceivable in
any meaningful way. In other words, if power can change, then empowerment is
possible. Second, the concept of empowerment depends upon the idea that power can
expand. This second point reflects our common experiences of power rather than how
we think about power.
• Source: Page & Czuba (1999). Empowerment what is it?
• Empowerment is a construct shared by many disciplines and arenas: community
development, psychology, education, economics, and studies of social movements
and organizations, among others.
• A common understanding of empowerment is necessary, however, to allow us to
know empowerment when we see it in people with whom we are working, and for
program evaluation. According to Bailey (1992), how we precisely define
empowerment within our projects and programs will depend upon the specific people
and context involved.
• As a general definition, empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that
helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that
is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities,
and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.
• Empowerment is a construct shared by many disciplines and arenas: community
development, psychology, education, economics, and studies of social movements
and organizations, among others.
• A common understanding of empowerment is necessary, however, to allow us to
know empowerment when we see it in people with whom we are working, and for
program evaluation. According to Bailey (1992), how we precisely define
empowerment within our projects and programs will depend upon the specific people
and context involved.
• As a general definition, empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that
helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that
is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities,
and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.
EMPOWERMENT: Interconnections between individuals and community…
• Wilson (1996) pointed out that recently, more researchers, organizers, politicians and employers recognize
that individual change is a prerequisite for community and social change and empowerment (Speer &
Hughey, 1995; Florin and Wandersman, 1990; Chavis & Wandersman, 1990). This does not mean that we
can point the finger at those with less access to power, telling them that they must change to become more
like "us" in order to be powerful/successful. Rather, individual change becomes a bridge to community
connectedness and social change (Wilson, 1996).
• To create change we must change individually to enable us to become partners in solving the complex issues
facing us. In collaborations based on mutual respect, diverse perspectives, and a developing vision, people
work toward creative and realistic solutions. This synthesis of individual and collective change (Wilson,
1996; Florin & Wandersman, 1990; Speer & Hughey, 1995) is our understanding of an empowerment
process. We see this inclusive individual and collective understanding of empowerment as crucial in
programs with empowerment as a goal. It is in the critical transition, or interconnection, between the
individual and the communal, or social, that programs such as ours, People Empowering People, can be
invaluable for people and communities.
Source: Page & Czuba (1999). Empowerment what is it?

EMPOWERMENT: Interconnections between individuals and community…
ADVOCACY: Basic understanding…
• It is defined as any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause,
supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others.
• The word “advocacy” comes from the Latin ‘advocare’ and literally means ‘to call
out for support’. The origins of advocacy date back to ancient Rome and Greece
when well-established orators would perform as advocates or wrote orations
specifically for pleading someone’s cause. Personalities such as Cicero and Caesar
were among the greatest Roman lawyers and advocates.
Source: What is advocacy? https://www.culturepartnership.eu/en/publishing/advocacy-course/

what-is-advocacy
ADVOCACY: Basic understanding…
• Ritu R. Sharma from the Academy for Educational Development describes advocacy
as a tool for “putting a problem on the agenda, providing a solution to that problem
and building support for acting on both the problem and the solution”. This definition
expresses an important idea: In a digital and networked age, advocacy is not just
about influencing public policy, but also and first of all about influencing public
opinion.
• The philosophy behind the social phenomena of advocacy is best explained in a
handbook for planning advocacy by Save the Children Fund, UK. It says that
“advocacy is a social change process affecting attitudes, social relationships and
power relations, which strengthens civil society and opens up democratic
spaces”. To fulfill its aspirations advocacy requires efforts coordination, strategic
thinking, information, communication, outreach and mobilization.
what-is-advocacy
ADVOCACY: How can you involved in advocacy?
How can your organization get more involved in advocacy?
• Educate. Inform your organization about the current policies and problems affecting
your community.
• Evaluate. Evaluate your organization’s mission and goals, and examine whether
current programs involve advocacy as a means to address problems or grievances in
the community. If not, how could advocacy play a larger role in your organization’s
programs?
• Collaborate. Work in coalitions with groups whose philosophy and goals resonate
with yours. Together, pooling staff and resources, all parties involved in the coalition
should be better equipped to take on campaigns and work for change.

what-is-advocacy
C.4
PARTICIPATORY
DEVELOPMENT
PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT: Basic understanding…
• Participatory development seeks to give the poor a part in
initiatives and projects that are designed by outside
organizations in the hopes that these projects will be more
sustainable and successful by involving local stakeholders in
the projects goals.
• While this characterization of participatory development is
certainly a far improvement over top-down project
management methods wherein mostly Eurocentric
development agendas were imposed on communities around
the world, there are still several dilemmas that arise from this
definition (Roberts, 2017).
• Firstly, we think that the end goal of any development effort
should never be the success or supposed sustainability of the
project itself, but rather an increase in the sovereignty and
wellbeing of the community. In some cases, the community
may determine that the predefined, written goals of a project
are no longer useful or valuable to the community, and if we
are loyal and committed to truly participatory development,
we need to allow for that possibility(Roberts, 2017).
• Secondly, instead of simply giving the poor “a part” in
development initiatives, we sustain that genuine
participatory development seeks to allow the poor to
determine their own visions and establish their own
development priorities and agendas. The discrepancies
between what is and is not participatory development can be
further envisaged in the differing perspectives within the
widely defined theme of participatory development to which
we will now turn(Roberts, 2017).
PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT: Perspective within
Participatory Development Agenda
• Institutional Perspective. Development organizations and institutions
that want to include the contributions and views of communities and
stakeholders in a project might use an institutionalized form of
participatory development. The institutional perspective seeks the inputs
of communities only to help achieve a pre-defined project goal that was
decided by someone (usually an expert from the development world)
external from the community itself(Roberts, 2017).
• also known as the project-based perspective, follows from the “pecking
order” inherent to the global development industry wherein
development goals are determined by external actors and in which the
success of the project is the main, focal point. Community participation
is welcomed and actively sought only but only within the sometimes
narrowly defined range of the project itself.
• Institutional Perspective. Development organizations and institutions
that want to include the contributions and views of communities and
stakeholders in a project might use an institutionalized form of
participatory development. The institutional perspective seeks the inputs
of communities only to help achieve a pre-defined project goal that was
decided by someone (usually an expert from the development world)
external from the community itself(Roberts, 2017).
• also known as the project-based perspective, follows from the
“pecking order” inherent to the global development industry wherein
development goals are determined by external actors and in which the
success of the project is the main, focal point. Community participation
is welcomed and actively sought only but only within the sometimes
narrowly defined range of the project itself.
• Social Movement Perspective. From this perspective, participation is
the main priority and a goal in itself. Allowing for autonomous forms of
community organization to direct and guide the definition of project
goals and the actual implementation of the project, or aiding
communities in the process of developing norms and organizations for
self-governance, is the overarching purpose that overrides any specific
project objectives (Roberts, 2017).
• Full community participation allows communities to participate in
processes that actively abolish hierarchies of power (sometimes from
within the development industry). The outside NGO is not relegated to
unconsciousness, but rather acts as an ally to self-governing community
organizations that are empowered to make independent decisions
regarding their own development.
C.5
GENDER
EQUALITY
GENDER EQUALITY: Basic understanding…
• Gender equality is when people of all genders have equal rights,
responsibilities and opportunities. Everyone is affected by gender
inequality - women, men, trans and gender diverse people,
children and families. It impacts people of all ages and
backgrounds (Victorian Government Directory, 2019).
• Gender equality refers to the equal participation of women and
men in different life domains (e.g., the economy, social life,
politics, education). Women’s rights movements linked to the
first and second wave of feminism fought to establish gender
equality as a fundamental human right. The gender-related
development index (GDI), the gender gap index, and the gender
equity index are measures of overall gender equality in different
countries (Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research,
2014).
GENDER EQUALITY: What matters on it?
• Women and girls represent half of the world’s population
and therefore also half of its potential. But, today gender
inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress.
• Inequalities faced by girls can begin right at birth and follow
them all their lives. In some countries, girls are deprived of
access to health care or proper nutrition, leading to a higher
mortality rate.
• Regardless of where you live in, gender equality is a
fundamental human right. Advancing gender equality is
critical to all areas of a healthy society, from reducing
poverty to promoting the health, education, protection and
the well-being of girls and boys (UN-Sustainable
Development Goals).
Did you know that?

On average, less than 1 in 3 senior and middle management positions are held by women
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND COOPERATION!!!
DAMU NGA SALAMAT SAN IYO PAMATI NGAN KOOPERASYON!!!
ACTIVITY 2: Your Song Sounds Familiar!
Directions: Listen to the song “Ang Bayan Ko.” Then,
after listening to the song, answer the following
questions.
1. What is the message of the song?
2. What are the basic rights stressed in the song?
3. What do you think is/are the social issue/s
described in the song? Justify your answer.
Note: You may listen to the “Ang Bayan – By Lea

Salonga” song using this Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCJHq9iDr1k
REFERENCES
• Ofreneo, A. (n.d.) Philippine commission on human rights: More than two decades of promoting human rights
in schools. Retrieved from: https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-04-philippines.pdf,
January 18, 2021
• Office of the Commissioner on Human Rights. (n.d.). Human Rights: A Basic Handbook for UN Staff.
Retrieved from: https://www.ohchr.org/documents/publications/hrhandbooken.pdf, January 18, 2021
• Page, N. & Czuba, Z. (1999). Empowerment what is it? Extension Journal, Inc., 37(5):
• Roberts, T. (2017). The centrality of community participation for all community development work. Grassroots
Collective. Retrieved from: https://www.thegrassrootscollective.org/what-is-participatory-development, January
18, 2021.
• What are human rights? Retrieved from: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/what-are-
human-rights, January 18, 2021
• What does social justice mean? Retrieved from: https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-social-
justice-mean/, January 18, 2021
• Victorian Government Directory. (2019). Gender equality: what is it and why do we need it? Retrieved from:
https://www.vic.gov.au/gender-equality-what-it-and-why-do-we-need-it

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M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T ,

• Source: What are human rights? https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-

• Source: What does social justice mean? https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-

Source: Page & Czuba (1999). Empowerment what is it?

Source: What is advocacy? https://www.culturepartnership.eu/en/publishing/advocacy-course/

Source: What is advocacy? https://www.culturepartnership.eu/en/publishing/advocacy-course/

Did you know that?

Note: You may listen to the “Ang Bayan – By Lea

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