Community participation involves the direct involvement of citizens or citizen action groups who are potentially affected by or interested in a decision or action. It is a social process whereby specific groups with shared needs living in a defined geographic area actively pursue identification of their needs, take decisions, and establish and implement plans to address them. Community participation can be loosely defined as the involvement of people in a community in projects to solve their own problems. It is a fundamental principle of democracy and a basic human right.

Community participation is especially important in emergency sanitation programs where people may be unaccustomed to their surroundings and new sanitation facilities. It can take place during any of the following activities: needs assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Community participation motivates people to work together, feel a sense of community, and recognize the benefits of their involvement. It can be incentivized through social, religious, or traditional obligations for mutual help, genuine community participation, and remuneration in cash or kind.

Community engagement is based on the democratic idea that everyone who is affected by an issue that impacts their community should have a say in the decision-making. It seeks to engage the community to achieve sustainable outcomes, equitable decision-making processes, and deepen relationships and trust between people, governments, and organizations. Community engagement requires intentional interactions between communities and public decision-makers, whereas citizen participation is mobilized by and for citizens and community groups.