CONGOMA, NAP AND MEJN LAUNCH A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT FOR CIVIC SPACE

 

CONGOMA, NAP AND MEJN LAUNCH A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT FOR CIVIC SPACE

Council for Non – Governmental Organisations in Malawi (CONGOMA), National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN)  launched a multi-stakeholder engagement for civic space platform on 13th April 2021 at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe with financial assistance from IM Swedish Development Partner. Civic Space in Malawi opened up in the early 1990s as part of the wave of democratization that saw the one party state unravel. It was supported by a progressive Constitution containing a bill of individual and collective rights adopted in 1995.

The Civic actors include CSOs, NGOs, Associations and individuals.  This engagement was targeting these actors as well as the Government.

The Presidential Advisor on CSOs, Mrs. Martha Kwataine, who was the guest of Honor at the launch, observed that this was a good development to Government because it is coming from the civil society themselves. There is need to strengthen the relationship between the Government and the Civil Society inorder to advance development in the country. Mrs. Kwataine also emphasized that in order for government to work effectively with the Civil Society, the latter need to also clear their rubble. They need to be accountable or donor funding so as to encourage the donors to continue giving aid to Malawi through the Civil Society to advance development in the country. Petitions and Street Marches only will not help to sort the challenges that the civil society encounter while doing their job. So, the fact that the Civil Society realise that dialogue is vital in the process of coming up with policies, at Government level is a welcome development.

According to Benedicto Kondowe, NAP Chairman, the process of delivering grievances to government by the citizenry should not only end at delivering petitions. It should continue to the development of a Government – Civil Society Dialogue mechanism for  open dialogue between themselves and the Government. This will ensure that there is  continued engagement between Government and the Civil Society on matters that are pertinent to the advancement of good Governance and promotion of human rights in the country.

According to the Press Statement released jointly by CONGOMA, NAP and MEJN, The Civil Society recommended that;

  1. Government should urgently consider to engage the civil society on outstanding and emerging  governance and human rights issues as outlined in the June 2020 Grand Petition and the April  2021 policy paper generated by CONGOMA and MEJN .
  2. Government should formalize and institutionalize dialogue mechanisms with the civil society through conducive platforms and procedures.
  3. His Excellency, the State President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera meets and engage the civil society to listen to the alternative voice on the state of governance and human rights in Malawi.
  4. Government should establish Civil Society- Government Dialogue team that should review and recommend inclusive dialogue mechanisms that will promote mutual accountability
  5. Government should guarantee the protection and safety of civic space actors including civic leaders and journalists.

The Civil Society are Optimistic that government will open the doors of dialogue with the civil society and forge a lasting  partnership in the best interest of all Malawians and our democracy.

 

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