Project description

Title: Governance, State and Civil Society
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Zambia
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS)
Overall term: 2005 to 2012

Context

Zambia is implementing a long-term strategy for poverty reduction. It is essential to ensure that this includes the interests of broad and, in particular, disadvantaged sections of the population. The involvement of civil society organisations in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the Fifth National Development Plan is, therefore, an important pre-condition. Civil society organisations can make a considerable contribution towards achieving the goals of the current development plan. Until now, however, such cooperation has only occurred sporadically and has been hampered by conflicts.

Objective

Civil society organisations support governance reform processes and the reduction of poverty. Professional exchange in a spirit of partnership between governmental players and civil society has been institutionalised, guaranteeing participation in decision-making processes and monitoring of state action.

Approach

Technical and methodological advice and an intensive dialogue strengthen the potential, expertise and performance capabilities of civil society networks. Financial contributions support programme objectives, professionalism and continuity. Cooperation with the German Development Service (DED) promotes networks on a decentralised level. By helping to coordinate and harmonise donor contributions, the programme is making a fundamental contribution to the debate on new modes of delivery to promote civil society. Irish Aid and the British Department for International Development (DFID) are involved in financing the programme.

Results achieved so far

The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) network presented an alternative national development plan in 2005. CSPR monitors its implementation and coordinates contributions from civil society to the new development plan.

Every month, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) gathers information on a basic needs basket and publishes the results. This is an estimate of the minimum cost of living for a family of six and serves the government as a basis for measures towards reducing poverty.

The participation of representatives of civil society networks in governmental advisory committees and dialogue processes has been established.

Basic cultural, social and economic rights are being incorporated in the new draft constitution.

Factsheets

• Democratization, State and Civil Society
  Factsheet with detailed information about the programme
  en-democratization-state-civil-society-factsheet.pdf, 0.36 MB (English)
• What Impacts? What Matters? Civil Society for Good Governance
  Factsheet relating five success factors to the programme
  en-civil-society-good-governance-factsheet.pdf, 0.27 MB (English)
• Civil Society Engagement with Parliament. Systematic Inclusion of Civil Society
  Factsheet about civil cooperation between civil society and parliament
  en-civil-society-parliament-factsheet.pdf, 0.42 MB (English)
• Actors, Relation, Interests, Conflicts: How Cooperation works in Good Governance
  Factsheet about modes of cooperation and the principal agent model
  en-civil-society-cooperation-good-governance-factsheet.pdf, 0.20 MB (English)
• The NGO INSAKA. NGO Accountability and Self regulation Project
  Factsheet on NGO Code of Conduct and regulatory mechanism
  en-civil-society-accountability-self-regulation-factsheet.pdf, 0.13 MB (English)
• Rights – Justice for All. New Orientation for Civil Society Organisations
  Factsheet about civil society and access to Justice
  en-civil-society-rights-justice-for-all-factsheet.pdf, 0.19 MB (English)
• Support to Democratic Elections
  Factsheet about the Zambian electoral process and the role of civil society
  en-civil-society-democratic-elections-factsheet.pdf, 0.25 MB (English)

Reports

• Supporting AVAP’s Strategic Planning 2009-2012
  Consultancy report (GTZ 2009)
  en-avap-strategic-planning-2009-2012-report.pdf, 0.58 MB (English)
• Civil Society for Good Governance – Looking Back and Way Forward
  Progress Review 2009 and Planning for Phase 2
  en-civil-society-good-governance-review-planning-report.pdf, 0.69 MB (English)
• Capacity Assessment of the Access to Justice Institutions
  Consultancy Report (GTZ 2009)
  en-civil-society-capacity-assessment-justice-institutions-report.pdf, 0.70 MB (English)
• Profile of Partner: Zambian Civil Society Organisations
  Civil society organisations with whom the Good Governance Programme has been cooperating (2005 to 2010).
  en-civil-society-organisations-profile-partners-report.pdf, 0.49 MB (English)
• The Record of the sixth Meetings of the Judicial Group on strengthening Judicial Integrity
  en-judicial-integrity-sixth-working-group-meeting-zambia-2010.pdf, 0.36 MB (English)