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University of New Orleans

Measuring Empowerment and Social Inclusion in Favela Upgrading Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The Inter American Development Bank describes Brazil's orçamento participativo (OP) or participatory budgeting process as "an instrument of empowerment and social inclusion" implemented by the Worker's Party to foster the "efficient and democratic allocation of resources and citizen involvement in the planning and management of their localities" (Serageldin, 2005: 4). Although the Inter American Development Bank refers to the OP as an empowering process it provides no formal framework for measuring the level of empowerment experienced by the participants. Three factors are necessary for social inclusion and empowerment; 1) spatial integration, 2) decision making power and 3) the creation of empowered, organized citizen groups. By outlining the steps of empowerment and social inclusion, this thesis provides a framework of measurement specific to the OP process and its use in favela upgrading. This evaluation can be used by government and international non-profits that require participation and empowering processes for the provision of funds.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.U.R.P.
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Planning and Urban Studies
Year
2010

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Lacy, Kathryn
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Ehrenfeucht, Renia
  • Nelson, Marla
  • Villavaso, Stephen

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1145
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2128

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of New Orleans
Base URL
scholarworks.uno.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Lacy, Kathryn. Measuring Empowerment and Social Inclusion in Favela Upgrading Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Thesis thesis, 2010. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1145