Analysis of citizen participation for local development

Abstract

Introduction: Citizen participation is a fundamental pillar of contemporary democracies; however, its effective implementation in the local economic sphere faces various barriers. Objective: To analyze the factors that have limited citizen participation in the local development projects implemented by the Gualaquiza Chamber of Commerce during the period 2022-2025, with the aim of proposing strategies that promote greater integration of citizens in the planning and execution of local development policies. Materials and Methods: The research adopted a qualitative and cross-sectional approach, of an explanatory and non-experimental type. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 participants (community members, local authorities, and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce), complemented by non-participant observation. Data were processed using content analysis and supported by SPSS Statistics version 24 software for descriptive quantitative analysis. Results: Citizen participation is perceived as "low," "formalistic," or "exclusive" by 71% of respondents. The main limiting factors identified are lack of time (69%), distrust in the results (64%), and lack of information (60%). Furthermore, weak inter-institutional articulation between the Chamber of Commerce and the Municipal GAD (74%) was evidenced, as well as deficiencies in communication and linkage with the social base (81%). Conclusions: Citizen participation in the initiatives of the Gualaquiza Chamber of Commerce is severely limited by interrelated social, economic, and cultural barriers, highlighting institutional distrust, disinformation, and lack of time.