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Project synthesis
The Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a NEPAD strategy (New initiative for Africa’s Development) intended to facilitate a contextual assessment of a state’s institutions. The involvement of civil society in the APRM’s assessment of governance in a given country is essential to increase the potential and effectiveness of the review. Experience has shown that community participation in the APRM processes is limited due to human, financial and information resource constraints.
Strategies/Objectives
This project intends to strengthen the capacity of civil society to engage with government in the process of assessing a country’s governance quality as part of the APRM process.
The specific objectives of the project are:
· To reinforce EISA’s own capacity to engage in the APRM process in order to become a resource for communities and review teams in the region and beyond;
· To assist and raise the awareness of civil society to generate strategic interventions in the peer review process;
· To identify meaningful areas of potential engagement between civil society and national government; and
· To encourage civil society to achieve ownership and engage itself in the APRM process.
Stakeholders and Beneficiaries
Civil organisations will form part of and benefit from EISA APRM capacity building initiative. Increased understanding and capacity will enable them to actively take part in the APRM process and make positive and meaningful contributions. This will allow a country level APRM process to include civil society.
Partner
EISA is a non-governmental, not for profit organisation, established in 1996, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its mission is to strengthen electoral processes, good governance, human rights and democratic values through research, capacity building, advocacy and other targeted interventions. The Institute has built an internationally recognized centre for policy research and information. It provides this service to governments, electoral commissions, political parties, civil organisations and other institutions operating in the democracy and governance fields throughout the SADC region and beyond. EISA is currently developing expertise and expanding its work to the NEPAD APRM in Africa.
Project duration and Funding
SDC’s contribution to EISA APRM for this initial one-year phase (October 2006 to September 2007) is CHF 130,000.
Geographical area
In this first phase, the project focuses on Mozambique and South Africa and is based on APRM experiences in other African countries.
Contact address
The Electoral Institute of Southern Africa EISA
14 Park Road ∙ Richmond ∙ 2092
P.O. Box 740 ∙ Auckland Park 2006
Johannesburg South Africa
Phone (+2711) 482 5495
Fax (+2711) 482 6163
Email: eisa@eisa.org.za
Website: www.eisa.org.za
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