• Culture & development

Culture & development

The report addresses the challenges and opportunities of civil society building (CSB) in Africa focusing on politics, economic and social mobilisation. The findings offer guidance to NGOs on how to better respond to sustainable development in Africa. Recognising that definite answers cannot be provided, the aim of the report is to catalyse meaningful debate about the future of Africa.

On civil society, the report calls for methods and process which balance coherence and diversity – ‘gaining critical mass whilst including minority interests’. In Africa, it is argued, CSB depends primarily on the educated middle-class to take leadership. Representation of the poor nevertheless is crucial since the middle class needs the numbers of the poor while the poor are in need of an informed leadership. To allow Africa’s poor to take control of (and improve) their livelihoods, information must be provided on their rights and opportunities. This will encourage public engagement in policy making. For successful implementation of policies, the process must be inclusive with a long-term focus. While external agencies can facilitate discussion or provide resources, real change can only come from within.

The report also highlights the role that the media plays in awareness building and public engagement and highlights the role donors and NGOs play in facilitating the development of media strategies by providing capacity building in areas where civil society actors lack skills (e.g. lobbying and policy drafting)

Factors identified as potentially limiting for CSB in Africa include:

• a culture of oppression and fear
• excessive patriarchy
• positioning of leaders above criticism and reproach
• traditional inertia
• vertical organisation of movements

Recommendtions for the involvement of civil society in the political arena include:

• be proactive: space to civil society has to be claimed
• be creative to mobilise and promote
• training is needed for CSOs to engage in government and donor dialogues at international level
• policy design and agenda setting must be inclusive not led by external agencies
• build inclusive, coherent coalitions, partnerships and alliances (using the Diaspora to build South-South and South-North allegiances) ensuring representation and formation of a critical mass
• engage with progressive, well-known individuals who can make a difference
• involve the media
• build a culture of accountability
• address the negotiation boundaries: challenge the margins, challenge the agenda

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