How does COPAR promote capacity building in communities?

COPAR, or Community Participatory Action Research, promotes capacity building in communities primarily by involving community members to enhance their skills and knowledge. This approach recognizes that community members possess valuable insights about their own needs and contexts, and by actively including them in the research process, COPAR helps in empowering these individuals.

Through participation, community members not only gain new skills related to research methodologies and data collection, but they also have the opportunity to become advocates for their own issues. This collaborative approach encourages a sense of ownership and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities within the community. Over time, these enhanced skills and knowledge contribute to the community’s overall capacity to address its own challenges and improve its social, economic, and environmental conditions.

The other options do not align with the principles of COPAR, as they suggest a top-down approach that would not support the empowerment and skills development of community members.