Programme Purpose
The Political Governance Programme (PGP) is a specialised component of Idasa. The strategic purpose of the programme is to build and strengthen democratic institutions and relationships between elected representatives, appointed officials and citizens in order to enhance meaningful engagement between governments and citizens. “Governments” refers to government at local, state/provincial, national/federal and continental levels.
Political Context
PGP operates within a changed and changing African political and economic context. It has been specifically established within the context of the formation of African Union (AU) and its project of peace, security and democracy. The Constitutive Act of the AU, the development of the various institutions and organs at the regional and sub-regional level, the push for economic integration and the harmonisation of national laws with regional principles, all provide avenues for support. In particular the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process and indicators, and the recently adopted Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance provide a basic normative framework for Idasa’s political governance work.
This African agenda has seen the routinisation of elections and emerging civil society coalitions around issues of democracy, development, peace and security. On the other hand, not all citizens are organised and there are many weak states in which political parties have limited presence between elections, bureaucracies do not meet the expectations and demands of people, and some governments resist the extension of democracy.
Backing Representative Government
PGP focuses its work on representative government and on the institutions established to enable elected representatives to exercise their democratic roles. In Africa such institutions exist or are being established at five different levels. At each of these levels there can and must be an engagement between government and citizens and that engagement can be made more effective and more democratic.
We look for and work with the appropriate institutions at local, sub-national, national, sub-regional and regional levels. Depending on the country these levels may have names and differing types of representative institutions – or may merely be an administrative arm of a superior government.
Spaces for Citizen Engagement
At each level there may be ‘invited spaces’ in which the legislatures and citizens interact. Such spaces can be created and the quality of interaction improved. Citizens can learn how to make their voices clearer and the number and type of such spaces increased. Idasa has a particular role to play in making invited spaces work for democracy. There may also be ‘invented spaces’ where citizen action, organisation and ingenuity opens up more fluid and less institutional engagements between legislatures and citizens. In some societies one or both of these spaces may be shut down by legislation or political inclination and force. Under such circumstances Idasa will seek to open up the public space in appropriate ways.
PGP includes the following projects:
1) States in Transition Observatory (SITO)
SITO provides ongoing briefings and position papers on developments taking place in Zimbabwe, especially during the SADC-led facilitation process to reach a negotiated settlement in that country.
This will be followed up by engaging with partners in the country on the election process and post-election reconstruction work in the country. In partnership with Africa Interactive, Idasa also provides analysis on the crisis in Zimbabwe, through forums and electronic information services.
2) Parliamentary Strengthening – Linking Citizens with Parliaments
This programme focuses on a range of countries in eastern and southern Africa namely Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in eastern Africa and Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia in southern Africa to promote and support good governance.
3) Local Governance Unit
The Local Governance Unit seeks to empower municipalities and their communities to create effective and accountable local governance and service delivery. It has assisted with the establishment of effective municipalities and contributed to the local government policy framework. The programme uses the Local Governance Barometer (LGB) as an instrument to measure the quality of governance effectiveness using specific governance criteria, identify capacity gaps and develop capacity development strategies in response.
4) Knowledge Exchange and Visitors Programme
Fredskorpset, the Norwegian peace corps, aims to promote human rights and contribute to the improvement of economic, social and political conditions through assembling and disseminating information. The partnership between Fredskorpset, Idasa and other African civil society organisations seeks to promote sharing of information and knowledge within the African continent through an exchange programme in which young African citizens have an opportunity to work in other countries to research, publish and distribute information on democracy and governance in Africa.
5) African Charter on Democracy
The project aims to create national movements as well as international solidarity that promote dialogue around and awareness of the Charter. Ultimately, the project seeks to have the Charter ratified in 15 countries so that the document becomes an official international legal instrument. However, the campaign will also continue to seek the support of all Members of the African Union to ratify and implement the Charter.
| 1 | Activities |
| 10 | Articles |
| 3 | Books |
| 1 | Media Briefing |
| 1 | News Articles by IDASA staff |
| 1 | Occasional Paper |
| 1 | Research Report |
| 2 | Toolkits |
| 1 | Workshop Report |
| 1 | Activities |
| 10 | Articles |
| 3 | Books |
| 1 | Media Briefing |
| 1 | News Articles by IDASA staff |
| 1 | Occasional Paper |
| 1 | Research Report |
| 2 | Toolkits |
| 1 | Workshop Report |
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