WACSOF has organized a CSO Capacity Development Workshop on Stakeholders Mapping at the state, National, Regional and International Level.
The workshop was held in Abuja, Nigeria on the 25th of April 2018. It had 22 persons (10 Females and 12 Males) in attendance from 7 West African Countries – Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Guinea Conakry and Cote D’Ivoire.
The main objective of the workshop was to empower CSOs to engage in advocacy campaigning for reforms to enhance the implementation of the values, legal and institutional provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance (ACDEG) and African Governance Architecture (AGA) in member countries.
The action is expected to increase the coordination and capacity of CSOs especially youth and women’s organisations to advocate for the ratification, domestication and implementation of the ACDEG and ultimately all AGA by AU member states and demand greater accountability from AU institutions and governments.
Some of the Stakeholders identified at the state level include Community Chiefs, Local Government Chairman’s, Local Associations, Youth Leaders, State Assembly Members, Labour Unions, Religious Leaders, Student Unions, Women Leaders, Commissioners, Councillors, Governors, CSOs and FBOs.
At the National Level, the stakeholders identified included the Presidency, Senators, National Associations, Security bodies, National Media Bodies, Judiciary, MDA’s, Embassies and High Commissions among others, while at the regional level, ECOWAS, Regional CSO coalitions, Regional Media Organizations were identified. At the International Level, the African Union, Pan African Organizations, African Youth Union and others were recognized.
Some recommendation made at the training include; Multi-media Campaigns through Radio and Print Media to reach rural communities, Production of Special Reports, Featured Interviews specifically designed to promote AGA and ACDEG, Consistent weekly activities and campaign especially on Social Media would go a long way to enlighten the general public on the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and (ACDEG).