Economic Democracy through Pro Poor Growth (PDF)

Ponna Wignaraja Chairman, South Asian Perspectives Network Association (SAPNA), Colombo. He served as Vice Chairman of the SAARC Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (1992). During a career with the UN system of over four decades, Dr Wignaraja has held numerous advisory roles in the World Bank, IMF, the UN University, UNESCO, UNICEF, IFAD and UNRISD. He has pioneered development banking and poverty focussed institutions at national and local levels, both internationally and in South Asia. A prolific author, Dr Wignaraja has published more than eight books so far, including Women, Poverty and Resources; Participatory Development: Learning from South Asia (co-author); New Social Movements in the South (ed.); and Pro-poor Growth and Governance in South Asia (ed.). He is currently also involved in issues relating to conflict management transformation and negotiations for peace in several South Asian countries. In 1993, he was awarded the highest civilian honour for national service in Sri Lanka—Deshamanya.

Susil Sirivardana is the Chairman, Participatory Institute of Development Alternatives and Associate Coordinator, South Asian Perspectives Network Association, Colombo. He was a member of the Sri Lankan Administrative Service for over two decades where his contribution to two outstanding participatory development programmes—the Janasaviya National Poverty Alleviation Programme and the Million Houses Programme—is widely recognized. He also served as an advisor to the 1992 SAARC Poverty Commission. Susil Sirivardana has written extensively on housing and poverty alleviation and his co-edited publications include Readings on Pro-poor Planning through Social Mobilization in South Asia, Vol.I and Pro-poor Growth and Governance in South Asia. Currently he is also working on issues of conflict resolution and negotiation in Sri Lanka.