Praxis Institute for Participatory Practices - India

Praxis works to:

• conduct its own research as well as projects on behalf of organisations inculding UNICEF, UNDP, Oxfam, CARE India, Catholic Relief Services and World Vision of India. Examples of past projects include: Participatory Assessment of Community Contracting (Cuttak Municipal Corporation slums), Participatory Study of Tribal Livelihood Systems (Bilaspur district of Madhya Pradesh), Participatory Poverty Profile Study (Bolangir), and Participatory Gender Impact Assessment Study.
• organise networks and workshops on the promotion of participatory practices in the development sector. It also maintains an online mailing list.
• disseminate information, including books, reports, topic packs, videos, and CDs, on the theme of participation.
• conduct training workshops in participatory research methods for community based organisations (CBOs), NGOs and several international organisations.
• operate WeDIO (We Do It Ourselves), a participatory video unit. In addition to housing digital production devices for use in training workshops, WeDIO provides opportunities to communities and development workers to produce their own videos.

Development Issues
Political Development, Rights.

Past approaches to research on problems related to equal participation in India's democracy have involved methods like standardised questionnaires or short-term field visits. Praxis instead works to engage entire communities: researchers/trainers try to learn both from and with their subjects. For instance, Praxis focuses on the research process rather than the findings. That is, it adapts the cross-reference material that informs the study methodology to the particular needs of research participants. A second commitment involves utilising conflicts and disparities as tools to inform research design.

Praxis now works independently of ActionAid, though the latter still offers occasional support. Its offices are located in Delhi and Patna, India.