The participation illusion: questioning community participation in a REDD plus pilot project in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This paper investigates the introduction of REDD+ in two pilot sites in the Equateur province of the DRC, focusing on the issues of community participation. Using information collected through household questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions, the paper shows that community participation at both sites was characterized as 'tokenism' whereby the communities were consulted and informed, but never achieved managerial power or influence over the REDD+ pilot project. The decision for the communities to join REDD+ was not democratic and the information provided during the process of introducing REDD+ was not sufficient for the communities to make an informed decision to join or not. The project organizer had full control over the dissemination of information. Community participation in the REDD+ project did not extend beyond labour supply in activities and attending meetings for per diems. The institutional basis for enabling 'full and effective community participation' is weak and excludes women. The paper argues that ensuring meaningful participation as defined by the REDD+ social safeguard guidelines might be difficult to achieve if social inequalities and local power relations are not acknowledged and addressed in the implementation of REDD+.