NEWS
March 28, 2023
IN BRIEF
Written by Kibo Ngowi “We demand that all governments that have put in place restrictive CSO laws roll them back immediately as there is no place in democratic societies for laws that undermine fundamental freedoms.” The Citizens’ Summit for Democracy & Freedom took place this week in Lusaka, Zambia. One of the outcomes of this summit is a communiqué containing essential resolutions on youth engagement in democratic processes and spaces, media freedom and free expression, civic and democratic space, as well as elections and electoral practice. Read it here. The summit provided a platform for African civil society actors to […]
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Written by Kibo Ngowi
The summit provided a platform for African civil society actors to connect. They jointly reflected on the Year of Action, various elements of elections in Africa, and added their voices to the S4D2 commitments from civil society and citizens’ perspectives.
On the second day of the summit, ALNigeria Country Director Odeh Friday joined YIAGA Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo, Dr. Kojo Asante, Executive Director, Ghana Center for Democratic Development and Freedom House Director of Africa Programs Tiseke Kasambala for a panel discussion on the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Nigerian 2023 elections.
Key takeaways were shared from the previous day’s sessions on “Money in Politics: Financing political parties and election campaigns for democratic renewal in Africa,” “Media freedom, freedom of expression and the technology in elections,” and “The state of Civic space, its impact on peaceful and democratic elections and transitions in Africa.”
Closing reflections were delivered by US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor Lisa Peterson; Southern Defenders Vice-Chair Tanele Maseko; Coordinator for the African Union Democracy and Elections Unit Karine Kakasi; and the Head of Secretariat for the African Union Economic, Social & Cultural Council William Carew.
Crucially, the summit communiqué also contained essential resolutions on youth engagement in democratic processes and spaces, media freedom and free expression, civic and democratic space, as well as elections and electoral practice. Diana Chando, an African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace representing East Africa, read out this draft and further contributions were made to the communiqué by attendees.
Thanks to our partners International IDEA Counterpart International, Youth Democracy Cohort, European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), Freedom House, Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, The Carter Center for making the Citizens’ Summit in Defense of Democracy & Freedom a success!
You can watch the second day of the summit here – https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=3426297894353707
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