Improved participation and access to information in the development process is not just about advocating for improved policy and practice among those deciding development. The Early Warning System believes access to information and improved participation is multi-directional: the personal experience and expertise from communities, activists and local civil society should be exchanged with and contribute to information held by governments, companies and development finance institutions.
The Early Warning System operates within this gap, recognizing the narratives of communities and local civil society are not factored in a timely or representative way, if at all, into the development process. Also, the information held by those actually deciding on development, is routinely not made available to those who will be impacted – positively or negatively. Even if the development project materials are publicly available, they often have inadequate, incomplete and inaccessible information. Through its programs, the Early Warning System works to improve the access to and exchange of informaton in development process and places the priorites of communities at the center.
