CBOs and Social Change: An Analysis of the Role and Impact of CBOs in slums

Abstract

Efforts aimed at urban poverty reduction and service delivery improvement depend critically on slum dwellers’ collective agency. This study investigates the role and impact of the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the slums of East Delhi. In the development of slums, the role of CBOs are often overlooked and undermined due to their informal social identity, flexibility in operations. These CBOs are key agents in social change but often they are considered to be non productive and often questioned for accountability. Through case study approach, the study made strong efforts to highlight and discuss the role and impact of CBOs. This study was carried out in four slum areas in east Delhi has made an attempt to explain various roles and impact of these CBOs in improvising slum community. The study critically examines various roles of CBOs and factors enabling them to perform. The study finds that collective action taken by CBOs significantly helped slum residents to improve government provided facilities and accessing various entitlements. The CBOs displayed their abilities in solving community problems, both short term and long term. There is a close relation between CBOs performance and social development. Thus, the study argues that these CBOs are very essential in local development and are indispensible elements in bringing social change in the slums.