Abstract:
The integration of local and international cultures enhances people’s
ability to adapt to external influences of sustainable aid and sustainable
development programs and processes. The study was conducted in
Turkana, where government intervention on projects was made with
deliberate efforts to implement inclusive development projects.
Traditionally Turkana society has well-defined gender roles that appear
to contradict inclusive and participatory approaches determined by
government projects and interventions. The study sought to establish a
legitimate influence on youth participation and to assess the impact of
cultural norms on youth participation in community projects. The study
used a descriptive design and targeted 47,359 young people. The study
used Krejecie and Morgan’s table and an equally divided sample
procedure to obtain a sample of 381 respondents in the study. Research
has shown that educated youth will speak well and seek citizenship, and
show that the standard of formal education is negatively correlated (-
0251) with youth participation in project planning and community
development projects (-0.094) respectively, barriers to youth
participation in project planning are not limited to learning and training.
Therefore political, institutional, financial and technical factors played
out in determining whose voice is heard and which decisions are
acceptable. There was an inconsistent balance (-0.109) between gender
roles and participation in community project planning meetings and
gender issues consideration in community projects, respectively. A
negative correlation (-0.14) between age and meeting planning has been
revealed which means that the patriarchal values system in rural areas
favours gender roles and traditional cultural practices that oppose the development ,advancement and participation of women in community development.
