The paper explores the mediating influence of citizen empowerment on the relationship between participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) and social sustainability as a contribution to the ongoing debate on sustainability. The empirical investigation took the form of mixed-methods approach with the objectives to determine the extent to which PM&E influences citizen empowerment; establish the extent to which citizen empowerment influences social sustainability; and establish the joint influence of PM&E and citizen empowerment on social sustainability. The study employed a concurrent parallel design, in which samples for quantitative and qualitative components were different but drawn from the same population, and data collected within the same timeframe. Quantitative data were analyzed through bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Conversely, the qualitative component utilized interpretive technique and recursive abstraction to organize, summarize and give impression on the causal mechanisms at play in the quantitative data. Evidence from the study revealed that citizen empowerment mediates the relationship between PM&E and social sustainability. The study also found that when PM&E and citizen empowerment are considered together, citizen empowerment seems to have a dominant influence on social sustainability than PM&E itself. Thus, the government and development practitioners should prioritize citizen empowerment as a precursor to the realization of social sustainability outcomes.

本文探讨了公民赋权对参与式监测和评估 (PM&E) 与社会可持续性之间的关系的中介影响，以作为对持续进行的可持续性辩论的贡献。实证调查采用混合方法的形式，目的是确定 PM&E 对公民赋权的影响程度；确定公民赋权对社会可持续性的影响程度；建立 PM&E 和公民赋权对社会可持续性的共同影响。该研究采用并行平行设计，其中定量和定性成分的样本不同但来自同一人群，并在同一时间范围内收集数据。定量数据通过双变量和多元回归分析进行分析。相反，定性组件利用解释技术和递归抽象来组织、总结和给出定量数据中起作用的因果机制的印象。该研究的证据表明，公民赋权在 PM&E 与社会可持续性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究还发现，当 PM&E 和公民赋权一起考虑时，公民赋权似乎比 PM&E 本身对社会可持续性的影响更大。因此，政府和发展从业者应优先考虑将公民赋权作为实现社会可持续性成果的先导。定性部分利用解释技术和递归抽象来组织、总结并给出定量数据中起作用的因果机制的印象。该研究的证据表明，公民赋权在 PM&E 与社会可持续性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究还发现，当 PM&E 和公民赋权一起考虑时，公民赋权似乎比 PM&E 本身对社会可持续性的影响更大。因此，政府和发展从业者应优先考虑将公民赋权作为实现社会可持续性成果的先导。定性部分利用解释技术和递归抽象来组织、总结并给出定量数据中起作用的因果机制的印象。该研究的证据表明，公民赋权在 PM&E 与社会可持续性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究还发现，当 PM&E 和公民赋权一起考虑时，公民赋权似乎比 PM&E 本身对社会可持续性的影响更大。因此，政府和发展从业者应优先考虑将公民赋权作为实现社会可持续性成果的先导。该研究的证据表明，公民赋权在 PM&E 与社会可持续性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究还发现，当 PM&E 和公民赋权一起考虑时，公民赋权似乎比 PM&E 本身对社会可持续性的影响更大。因此，政府和发展从业者应优先考虑将公民赋权作为实现社会可持续性成果的先导。该研究的证据表明，公民赋权在 PM&E 与社会可持续性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究还发现，当 PM&E 和公民赋权一起考虑时，公民赋权似乎比 PM&E 本身对社会可持续性的影响更大。因此，政府和发展从业者应优先考虑将公民赋权作为实现社会可持续性成果的先导。