Participation in rural areas: trends and challenges

Barriers to participation in rural areas

Facilitating participation in rural areas requires overcoming barriers such as geographical limitations, isolation, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to opportunities. The physical distances between rural areas and the capitals, where decision-makers are usually based and where the majority of decisions are being taken, is a reality that enhances the feeling of isolation for many rural citizens. Moreover, policies are being shaped away from rural areas and lack the inputs of members of those communities, even when such policies will have an impact on them. The wider accessibility to opportunities is hindered by the lack of physical and digital infrastructure. This fuels the so-called “rural exodus” that is taking place as people look to find better opportunities outside of the rural areas. This is creating a demographic decline of rural areas and a lack of generational renewal. All these factors further feed into the wider feeling in rural communities of “being left behind”. There is also a feeling of being perceived as a lower priority for decision-makers due to the distances from big urban centres and because they are lower density populations.

Community strength and engagement opportunities

Despite these challenges, rural areas still offer unique opportunities for participation due to the close bonds that can be found in them. Rural communities can foster a strong feeling of cohesion and thus more easily mobilise individuals around common goals. Rural organisations, movements and networks can work as platforms for collective action, community engagement and decision-making. Access to physical spaces is potentially less competitive due to the lower population density and the availability of spaces, as opposed to urban centres where physical space is limited and often quite competitive to acquire. The local initiatives that already exist in rural communities, such as festivals, markets, and cultural or religious gatherings, are opportunities for engaging the members of the communities in discussions about local issues. Additionally, the citizens and the local decision-makers have a direct space for interaction and communication.

The need for policy adaptation

It is also essential, at the policy level, to recognise the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing democratic participation or in general, the opportunities that non-rural citizens have in more urban settings. In rural areas, there are more limited resources and options (both financial and human resources) in organisations that can foster participation, there is limited access to citizens’ organisations per se, and there is a general lack of infrastructure. As a result, it can be more challenging for citizens to engage in civic activities, to meaningfully participate in developing policies, and to make their voices heard. To address this, it is essential for governments and for institutions to rural proof their policies while they are still under development and before their adoption and implementation. It is essential that they look through and examine them using a “rural lens” in order to make these policies fit for purpose for those who live and work in rural areas.