REMOVING UNFREEDOMS
Citizens as Agents of Change
Prepared for DFID by Romi Khosla (2002)
in association with Sikandar Hasan, Jane Samuels and Budhi Mulyawan
London

This paper argues that in the light of the work of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, there is a need not only to modify current policy frameworks that deal with development, but also to share them across the globe. Such a shift would enable national governments and sponsors to consider that the wider overarching goals of human development are those that provide individual citizens with ever expanding opportunities for freedoms. There is a need to let citizens live the life of their choice. It argues that an objective that enables human beings to lead the life that they value is higher than one that enables them to be merely less poor and more efficient producers of wealth.

Suggesting new policy goals for a more effective development policy, this paper suggests the need to make a beginning by modifying the current evaluations and indicators that are used by policy makers. It suggests sharing the new evaluation methods and data. Such data would rely on democratic discussions to evaluate citizens choices about the life that they want to lead and value. The paper also argues for the need of a lead agency to co-ordinate urban development policies, programmes and projects within an overarching shared urban policy framework. Such a shared framework would acknowledge that the ultimate goal of development is to enable people to choose their own life styles through the process and enjoyment of ever expanding freedoms.

Summary Framework
Pdf (85 KB)

Freedom, Culture and Urban Revitalisation
Pdf (129 KB)

The Summary Framework of the policy implications of the freedom-centred approach gives a bird's eye view of the issues that have been outlined in this paper. While admittedly, it presents a simplified synopsis of this paper, it does provide an opportunity to overview the overall extent of the issues that have been discussed as well as a guide to the elements of a possible enlarged policy framework.

Freedom, Culture and Urban Revitalisation
Prepared for DFID by Jane Samuels (2002)

Perhaps worse than no shelter is a mono-culture slum, where each individual sees the same story reflected in all the eyes saying, are we never to achieve and never to participate in the life beyond poverty? Does the good life exist? Well then, what exactly is it? The answers to these questions highlight the importance of local culture as that which provides individuals with the ability to restore values and meaningfulness to their lives.