Dr. AbayNahom Nadew2026-11-062026-11-062026-06-22https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/9417This research examines the Addis Ababa City Administration‘s Corridor Development Project (CDP), officially launched on December 29, 2022, operationalizes community participation, it specifically assesses the extent to which the project operationalized community participation, balanced economic growth with social equity, and the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets under a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA). The study deconstructs "development" away from purely macroeconomic indicators (such as GNP/GDP aggregates) toward Amartya Sen‘s "development as freedom" model and the Human Development Index (HDI). Sherry R. Arnstein‘s ―Ladder of Citizen Participation‖ is introduced as a primary analytical benchmark, separating meaningful citizen power (partnership, delegated power, control) from mere tokenism (informing, consultation) and non-participation. The study establishes that the right to development and participation is a binding legal obligation under international, regional and Ethiopia's domestic framework. The findings of this research indicate severe socio-economic trade-offs. A total of 88.5% of respondents experienced physical displacement, and 96.3% suffered severe damage to their livelihoods and community networks. Crucially, 66.7% reported receiving absolutely zero consultation, 96.3% stated their views were disregarded, and 88.9% were deemed ineligible for compensation. Eviction notices were brief, with some as short as "half a day". 100% reported severe negative impacts on enterprise survival, noting temporary closures (73.3%) and client losses (66.7%). 93.3% received no financial compensation for asset or revenue loss. 80% rated government communication poorly, indicating a style of communication that fits the lowest rungs ("tokenism" or "non-participation") of Arnstein's ladder. 76.9% of surveyed experts (lawyers, human rights professionals, judges) concluded that the project's execution actively failed to protect the constitutional participation rights enshrined under Article 43 of the FDRE Constitution. This study recommends that future development initiatives adopt meaningful participatory mechanisms, provide adequate notice, ensure fair compensation and to integrate HRBA principles throughout planing and implementation process.enHuman Rights-Based Approachcommunity participationright to developmentcompensationThesis