Across Asia, communities have long shaped their own futures through shared labour, mutual care, and collective decision-making. From climate-vulnerable coastal villages to dense urban settlements and conflict-affected regions, people continue to organise, adapt, and lead.
The Movement for Community-Led Development in Asia brings together these lived practices and local wisdom, recognizing communities not as beneficiaries of development, but as knowledge holders and agents of lasting change.
Asia is the birthplace of much of the methodology of Community-led Development, starting with Mahatma Gandhi’s work on village development.
The Movement for Community-led Development worked through network partners in Asia, but starting in 2025 we are beginning to welcome National Associations in the region. We currently have members from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Syria, and are growing into Pakistan and the Philippines.
For more information, reach out to our Asia Coordinator, Namya Gunawardena at namya@mcld.org.
Regional Priority Areas
- Democratic Governance & Accountability – Youth leadership, digital activism, social accountability
- Climate Resilience & Justice – Community adaptation, indigenous knowledge, environmental defence
- Livelihoods & Local Economies – Informal workers, women-led economies, solidarity
economies
Gender Justice and Social Inclusion cut across all three of our priorities.
Members
