Citizen participation, democratic governance and right to development; a systematic review

In the context of democratic governance and the right to development, this article addresses the relevance of citizen participation. The interaction between citizen participation, democratic governance and the right to development has been explored, a relevant but understudied topic. The objective is identifying key concepts and relationships through a systematic literature review in indexed academic databases, discerning good practices to encourage citizen participation. Using the PRISMA method, we asked research questions and searched for articles on the relationship between these three elements. Of the 45 documents initially identified, a total of 21 articles were selected, which had a direct impact on the topic of study. The results show a complex relationship, highlighting the importance of legitimacy, constitutional provisions, and contextual conditions. At the same time, findings on legal, economic, and social dimensions of the right to development linked to citizen participation are identified. The main conclusion underlines the complexity of this relationship, emphasizing the need for adaptive and contextual approaches to strengthen citizen participation as a means for effective democratic governance in the framework of the right to development, so this study offers a basis for future research, policies, and practices that seek to deepen understanding and promote comprehensive and sustainable development through citizen participation.