THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Keywords:
Social Development, Community-Based Organizations, Roles in Community-Based DevelopmentAbstract
This academic article examines the role of community-based organizations in advancing social development within the increasingly complex and intensified transformations across economic, health, environmental, political, and cultural dimensions. The overarching goal is to promote sustainable development, in which all individuals are treated equitably and have access to opportunities and inclusive capacity development across all social classes, through participatory development processes. Social capital is employed as a strategic foundation, positioning community-based organizations as dynamic mechanisms for driving social change. These organizations can be categorized into four main sectors: local government organizations, traditional local authorities, government agencies, and civil society groups. Each sector operates under distinct structures, roles, and scopes, yet is capable of forming integrated and coordinated systems through multi-sectoral collaboration to reduce inequality, promote justice, and strengthen the resilience, stability, and sustainability of society.
The author synthesizes that a key strategic factor in empowering communities to achieve sustainable self-governance is the integration of these four sectors under a framework of genuine participation, balanced decentralization of power, and place-based development.
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