THE GROWING ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY, NGOs, EMPOWEREMENT OF CITIZENS Judith Kaulem

INTRODUCTION The need for effective development actors. Push factors poverty, malgovernance, post conflict reconstruction and spread of HIV and AIDS.

Selected SADC Countries Population Characteristic (2007) CountryPop ( mil) Pop Growth Rate (%) HIV Adult Prevalen ce Rate (%) People Living with AIDS ( million s) Life Expectan cy (yrs) Pop below Poverty Datum Line Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Swaziland Zambia Zimbabwe

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND social development, social welfare and social justice expected to be the mandate of the state. Failures of some African governments of post- colonial era.

ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. A crisis in African political, economic and social organization. Search for alternative ways. A growth in number, scope and profile of African NGOs.

ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ( cont.) Recognition by the AU, SADC, NEPAD 2,243 NGOs with UN’s ECOSOCC consultative status.

IMPORTANCE OF PARTNESRSHIP/ENGAGEMENT State-oriented approach to development. CSOs role at macro, meso and micro levels. Need for a framework of engagement.

STRATEGIES FOR EXECUTING ROLE Strategies for collaboration, consultation and feed back Need for strengthening CSO regional bodies Correlation between vibrant and strong CSOs and the media Need for CSO capacity and skills.

CHALLENGES Gaps between the rhetoric and actual practice. Constrained socio-economic problems and political repression. Telephone and internet connections dysfunctional ;

CHALLENGES con’td Un conducive working environment; Lack of funding and donor prescriptions Danger of cooption.

CONCLUSION Global governance becoming more pluralistic and less confined to state based systems. Collaboration as key. I THANK YOU