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Participatory Budget

December 20, 2023 by Patricia Saravessi

Each year since 2021, we have been organizing a participatory budget for our members. We dedicate a set amount from our annual budget and members are invited to submit activities or projects they want to achieve. It is a democratic and participatory process, with members collectively deciding how to allocate funds according to their needs to give them greater decision-making power. The participatory budget is a financial support for our members and a way for us to encourage and help them carry out projects fighting against social inequalities and various forms of oppression based on their interests. We’re using it to share knowledge, skills and resources, and it’s also a good opportunity to create a common space for getting to know each other!

Background about participatory budget

The first participatory budget emerged in 1989 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and has since spread to hundreds of cities in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America (Yves Sintomer et al., 2014). Often used at the municipal level, the participatory budget introduces an aspect of direct democracy, where the public can deliberate and vote on a part of the municipal budget, thus expanding citizen participation, fostering the inclusion of marginalized groups, and promoting social justice (Chateauvert et al., 2020). 

References

Chateauvert et al., Manuel pour changer le monde, Montréal, Lux, 2020.

Yves Sintomer et al., « Les budgets participatifs dans le monde. Une étude transnationale », Engagement Global, no 25, 2014.

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