efinitions of COPAR: A social development approach that aims to transform the apathetic, individualistic and voiceless poor into

o dynamic, participatory and politically responsive community. A collective, participatory, transformative, liberative, sustained and systematic process of building peoples organizations by mobilizing and enhancing the capabilities and resources of the people for the resolution of their issues and concerns towards effecting change in their existing oppressive and exploitative conditions (1994 National Rural Conference) A process by which a community identifies its needs and objectives, develops confidence to take action in respect to them and in doing so, extends and develops cooperative and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community (Ross 1967) A continuous and sustained process of educating the people to understand and develop their critical awareness of their existing condition, working with the people collectively and efficiently on their immediate and long-term problems, and mobilizing the people to develop their capability and readiness to respond and take action on their immediate needs towards solving their long-term problems (CO: A manual of experience, PCPD) Importance of COPAR: 1. COPAR is an important tool for community development and people empowerment as this helps the community workers to generate community participation in development activities. 2. COPAR prepares people/clients to eventually take over the management of a development programs in the future. 3. COPAR maximizes community participation and involvement; community resources are mobilized for community services. Principles of COPAR: 1. People, especially the most oppressed, exploited and deprived sectors are open to change, have the capacity to change and are able to bring about change. 2. COPAR should be based on the interest of the poorest sectors of society 3. COPAR should lead to a self-reliant community and society. COPAR Process: A progressive cycle of action-reflection action which begins with small, local and concrete issues identified by the people and the evaluation and the reflection of and on the action taken by them. Consciousness through experimental learning central to the COPAR process because it places emphasis on learning that emerges from concrete action and which enriches succeeding action. COPAR is participatory and mass-based because it is primarily directed towards and biased in favor of the poor, the powerless and oppressed. COPAR is group-centered and not leader-oriented. Leaders are identified, emerge and are tested through action rather than appointed or selected by some external force or entity.

Definitions of Community Diagnosis:

Community diagnosis is a comprehensive assessment of health status of the community in relation to its social, physical and biological environment. The purpose of community diagnosis is to define existing problems, determine available resources and set priorities for planning, implementing and evaluating health action, by and for the community.

Community diagnosis generally refers to the identification and quantification of health problems in a community as a whole in terms of mortality and morbidity rates and ratios, and identification of their correlates for the purpose of defining those at risk or those in need of health care.

A means of examining aggregate and social statistics in addition to the knowledge of the local situation, in order to determine the health needs of the community

Importance of Community Diagnosis

It helps to find the common problems or diseases, which are troublesome to the people and are easily preventable in the community. Community diagnosis can be a pioneer step for betterment of rural community health. It is a tool to disclose the hidden problems that are not visible to the community people but are being affected by them. It helps to access the group of underprivileged people who are unable to use the available facilities due to poverty, prevailing discriminations or other reasons. It helps to find the real problems of the community people which might not have perceived by them as problems. It helps to impart knowledge and attitudes to turnover peoples problems towards the light of solution.