Consolidated Strategic Planfor theFive Year
Period
2016-2020
ACRONYMS:
AUAfrica Union
CSOCivil Society Organisation
CUCommon Union
EACEast African Community
EACSOFEast African Civil Society Forum
ECOWASEconomic community of West Africa States
ENREnvironment and Natural Resources
EWSEarly Warning System
PSOPrivate Sector Organisations
EACJEast African Court of Justice
EALAEast African Legislative Assembly
EALSEast Africa Law Society
GMOGenetically Modified Organism.
ICCInternational Criminal Court
LVBCLake Victoria Basin Commission
LVFOLake Victoria Fisheries Organisation
MDCMombasa Democratic Republic
MEACAMinistry of East African Community Affairs
NGONon-Governmental Organisation
NTBNon-Tariff Barriers
PLHAPeople Living with HIV/AIDS
RSARepublic of South Africa
SADCSouth Africa Development Commission
PS Partner State
SALWSmall Arms and Light Weapons
SMEsSmall and Medium Enterprises
WACSOFWest African Civil Society Forum
Foreword
The East African Civil Society Organizations’Forum, (EACSOF), was founded in 2007 as an autonomous umbrella body of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations, (CSOs), in East Africa. Since its founding,EACSOF has been working to strengthen the institutionalization of the relationship between East African CSOs and the Community, (EAC). It also works to build a critical mass of knowledgeable and empowered civil society in the East African region, in order to foster their confidence and capacity in articulating grassroots needs and interests in the East African Integration Process. It also works to ensure that East African citizens and their organizations work together to play a more effective role in the integration process through building stronger citizen organizations that respond to citizens needs and hold duty bearers to account.
EACSOF since its founding in 2007, EACSOF has registered a number of significant achievements: EACSOF membership is over 60 organizations of which some are umbrella CSOs with an active membership of more than 400 CSOs for instance TANGO and UNNGOF. In regards to Policy Engagement EACSOF: Advocated for the Consultative Dialogue Framework (CDF) for engagement between EAC civil society, organizations, private sector organizations and other interest groups, whereby EACSOF has been mandated as the focal point for CSO voices in the integration process; Prepared a Draft Gender Protocol and Draft Youth Policy for consideration by the Council of Ministers ; Played a leading role in advocating for the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management Bill, as well as lobbying for changes in the EAC Anti-counterfeit Bill aimed at protecting citizens’ access to quality generic medicines; Contributed to advocacy initiatives, defending EALAs mandate to raise private members’ bills; Collaborated with EABC to launch the EAC Health Forum and initial key issues, with support from GIZ; Initiated advocacy for free movement of Africans in Africa, under the auspices of CCP-AU; Undertook Analysis of the CSO Operating Environment in East Africa; Engaged EALA and EACJ on the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the Republic of Burundi and Undertook a Right to a Nationality (R2N) in Africa Workshop to raise concern on statelessness and R2N. Member Capacity Building: Trained member organizations on human rights, good governance and policy engagement, including civil society participation in trade negotiations; Developed a sensitization manual for CSOs on EAC structures and processes and how CSOs can engage with the EAC – “Strengthening Popular Participation in the East African Community- A Guide to EAC Structures and Processes” and Established the EAC Annual CSO Conference, as a strong pillar for galvanization of the civic voice. EACSOF Institutional Governance was strengthened by accounting to its Membership, Strengthening Board Governance, and Adopting a Clear Strategy plan for the next 5 Years during the 8th EACSOF AGM in May 2016 and moreover EACSOF reviewed the Financial and Human Resource Policies.
This EACSOF strategic plan isrooted in a comprehensive analysis of the realities of East Africa as assessed through the reflection processes and literature reviewof CSOs in the member states.
Through those processes EACSOF members discussed, reflected and took stock of the issues that affect the East African region. The meetings reviewed, and reaffirmed EACSOF’s relevance role, structures and clarified its priorities. Subsequently outcomes from all the meetings were consolidated into this consolidated EACSOF 5 year (2016– 2020) Strategic plan.
CSOs are increasingly visible and active in promoting change within the region. For instance: the implementation of the new constitution in Kenya; the recovery from civil strife in Burundi and the post Genocide healing in Rwanda. Hence through EACSOF, CSOs aim at contributing to building the integration processes of the region. This strategic plan sets out the ways of engaging and influencing policies and governance in East Africa.
The EAC integration Treaty recognizes that citizens are central in the process of integration. It therefore enjoins the Community to provide an enabling environment to EACSOF and Civil Society in general to effectively participate in the integration processes. EACSOF is an inclusive platform for CSOs to dialogue and foster sustainable equitable development in East Africa through the participation of CSOs.
EACSOF exists tochampion East Africa peoples’ centeredness in the social, economic and other EA integration processes. This is underpinned by the similarities of the peoples in allmember states, in terms of population, innovation, Employment and unemployment rates, private sector led economy and the presence and dominance of governments. EACSOF member CSOs through their mobilization work are at the centre of achieving the “people centeredness”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACRONYMS:
Foreword
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview
Structure of the Strategic Plan
Chapter 1: introduction:
1.1 Background and context
1.1.1 The EAC
1.1.2 CIVIL SOCIETY
1.1.3 EACSOF
1.2 Overview
1.3 Process of developing the consolidated Strategic Plan
chapter 2: Analysis of the EACSOF operational context in all EA countries
2.1. Internal context analysis
2.1.1. The EACSOF Timeline
2.1.2. SWOT analysis
2.2. External Context Analysis
2.2.1. Economic and trend analysis
2.2.2. Political / policy context analysis
2.2.3. Social and cultural context analysis
2.3 EACSOF’s NICHE
2.4The EACSOF Institutional Profile
2.5 EACSOF’s Strategic Positioning
2.6Aims of the Strategic Plan
Chapter 3: THE EACSOF STRATEGy 2016-2020
3.1. Overview
3.2. Geographical focus
3.3. Values and principles
3.4. Consolidated EACSOF’s work programmes
3.5. The EACSOF Theory of Change
CHAPTER 4: THE INTERVENTION sTRATEGY
4.1 Programming Component 1: Citizens empowerment
4.2 Programming Component 2: Policy Development, Implementation, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation
4.2.1 Thematic area 1: Democratic governance.
4.2.2 Thematic area 2: Peace and Security (Human Rights protection and vulnerable groups support).
4.2.3. Thematic area 3: Social and Economic justice
4.2.4. Thematic Area 4: Agriculture,Natural Resources, Environmental Protection and Climate Change
4.2.5. Thematic Area 5: Mainstreaming Science and Technology
4.3 Programming Component 3: EACSOF Institutional Capacity Development
4.3.1. Strengthen EACSOF governance and leadership;
4.3.2. Build strategic linkages and alliances;
4.3.3. Increase EACSOF visibility;
4.3.4. Support EACSOF’s sustainability.
4.4 Summary of strategies and interventions
chapter 5:IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION
5.1Overview
5.2Coordination arrangements
5.3Monitoring and Evaluation arrangements
5.4Risks, Mitigating Measures and Critical Success factors
5.4.1...... Risks and Mitigating Measures
5.4.2 Critical success factors
Chapter 6: Financing Plan
Annexes
Annex one: The EACSOF log frame (2016 – 2020)
Annex two: Proposed regional structure
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview
This 5 year Strategic Plan for EACSOF for the period 2016 to 2020 emerges from five comprehensivenational reflection and consultation meetings held between 2014 and 2015.
This plan is based on recognition of the (political, economic, social, dynamics within EACSOF’s operational context and the global development agenda now shaped by the sustainable development goals.
EACSOF at regional level derives its mandate from its constituent member nation platforms in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda
The aspirations of this Strategic Plan are enshrined in the EACSOF vision “An integrated community in which Citizens fully participate in all processes that affect their lives” and mission“To provide an inclusive platform for Civil society to promote good policies and democratic governance for the wellbeing of East Africans”statementsand are further reflected in the goals and objectives. EACSOF’s work through this plan shall focus under the following programming components: CitizenEmpowerment, Policy engagement and Institutional Development with the main objectives to:
- Strengthen the citizens’ civic competence and confidence by enabling citizens to know their rights and obligations and to support them to organise in effective CSO as well as national platforms through which they would be able to assert those rights.
- Ensure Citizen Centered Policy Development and Implementation at National and Regional Levelsin regards toDemocratic Governance; Peace and Security; Social and Economic Justice; Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environmental Protection and Climate Change;andMainstreaming Science and Technology
- Support EACSOF’s Institutional Capacity building at national and regional level.
EACSOF through its work shall pursue and monitor EAC performance on the key SDGs indicators that resonate with its work while also mainstreaming gender equity and equality.
By championing the above aspects,EACSOF will strengthen its position and relevance in the EAC integration process. As a core aspect of its work EACSOF will focus on empowerment of the citizens by building their civic confidence and competencies to demand for their rights, it will grow into a strong and efficient regional network of national platforms that promotes timely and effective vertical and horizontal communication and information sharing.
This Strategic Plan shall be executed through establishing strategic partnerships with likeminded organizations and synergizing efforts through coordination and networking. Effort shall also be invested in further strengthening EACSOF institutionally particularly its operational capacities, systems and procedures.
Although the last EACSOF strategic plan ended in 2014, this strategic plan covers the period 2016-2020. The period 2014-2015 was utilized as a bridge period during which the process of formulating this strategic plan commenced. The period was also utilized to complete some of the assignments that were still ongoing at the end of the strategic plan period.
Structure of the Strategic Plan
This EACSOF Strategic is divided into five chapters.
Chapter one is and introduction that highlights EACSOF’s background and the methodology used for the design process, the structure and presentation of the plan.
Chapter two gives a detailed situation analysis of EACSOF its strengths and weaknesses as well as a scan of its operational environment.
Chapter three presents EACSOFvision, mission, strategic goals, and corporate values that represent the ambitions of the Platform in the next five years.
Chapter four provides an elaboration of the goals and extraction of objectives, strategic initiatives, outputs and outcomes of the plan. It also elaborates on the specific milestones and targets under each Strategic Objective.
Chapter five discusses the implementation of the strategy and sets out how the goals and objectives of the strategy can be achieved, and the Monitoring and Evaluation arrangements.
Finally, chapter six presents the financing plan and budget.
1
Chapter 1: introduction:
1.1 Background and context
1.1.1 The EAC
East Africa lies astride the equator and comprise five countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The region is bordered to the north-east by Somalia, to the north by Ethiopia and Sudan, to the West by the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the south by Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
The region covers a total surface area of is 1.85 million square kilometres (sq. km). Variations in altitude for different parts provide a wide range of climatic conditions. For instance both Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro at attitudes 5,199 ft and 19,341 ft respectively have permanent snow-caps and form the sources of mighty rivers. The glaciers that form the peaks of these mountains have unfortunatelycontinued to shrink clearly affirming the negative effects of climate change.
The estimated population of region is 124 million people contributing to an estimated combined gross domestic product of approximately 45 billion US dollars. The East Africa Community, one of the longest experiences in regional integration, is yet again emerging as a major social, economic and political actor in the region. Historical records of the region show that as early as 1900, Kenya and Uganda operated a Customs Union which was later joined by Tanzania (Tanganyika) in 1922 and fully formalized when the three partner states signed the Treaty of East African Economic Co-operation in June 1967. At that time the East African Community’s main goal was “to strengthen and regulate the industrial, commercial and other relations of the partner states to enhance accelerated, harmonious and balanced development and sustained expansion of economic activities the benefits whereof shall be equitably shared” [Article 5(2)]. The Treaty envisaged co-operation to cover legal and legislative affairs; economic matters; and management of joint organizations. However, in 1977 the Community collapsed. Reasons advanced for the collapse include:
•Inequality in the distribution of benefits, ideological differences and differences in levels of development and lack of political will to solve real or imagined problems1; and
•Structural problems which impinged on the management of the common services; inadequate involvement of the people in the decision-making process; lack of compensatory mechanisms for addressing inequalities in the sharing of costs and benefits of integration; and ideological differences, vested interests and lack of vision on the part of some leaders. The integration processes is still ongoing and forms the basis of the formation of EACSOF.
1.1.2 CIVIL SOCIETY
The term Civil Society (CS) encompasses a wider range of formal and informal groups of people, engaged in social and economic activities for human development. Civil society hence relates to that component of societal organising that comes before politics and the emergence of business enterprises. All other forms of organising emerge from the civil society. The civil society uses the state, markets and its civil society organisations (CSOs) to generate goods and services and to support the functioning of the state and to sustain the market dynamics.
CSOs are therefore the civil society vehicles that are used to realize its objects of equity, equality, justice and humanity. These organisations come in different forms and groups and they include, among others the Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), workers organisations (Trade unions), Professional Associations, Academia, Media, and Issue and Interest Groups (Women, Youth, Elderly, people living with disabilities, etc.). Even in these diverse forms, the CSOs have eight main defining characteristics:
- They are established voluntarily by citizens/interest groups seeking to promote their specific concerns, values and or identities;
- They are organized around the promotion of an issue or the interests of a particular section of society;
- They are autonomous from the state3, which is essential if they are to provide credible contributions from their numerous and diverse constituencies;
- Have shared Interests;
- Demonstrate high level of inclusiveness;
- They are the voice of the people, the “ultimate power”;
- They do not struggle for political power, and are non-partisan; and
- They are not profit-driven.
In the past the CS has demonstrated that it has immense potential to:
- Promote dialogue and consultation at different levels and on diverse interests;
- Give voice to the voiceless;
- Participate in policy formulation and analysis;
- Provide access to information;
- Promote awareness creation;
- Serve as a watchdog providing monitoring and evaluation on decision-making and proper application of public resources, and
- Cultivate conflict resolution and disaster management regimes.
1.1.3 EACSOF
TheEastAfricanCivilSocietyOrganizations’Forum(EACSOF)isthegalvanizingbodyof non- governmental, non-partisan andapolitical civilsocietyorganizations (CSOs)intheEast AfricanRegion.
In essencetheForum is chargedwiththeroleoffosteringgreaterandeffectivecivil societyengagementin theEACintegrationprocess. EACSOFplaystheabovestatedrolethrough informationsharing,networkingandinstitutionalcapacitybuildingofCSOswhichengagein theEACintegrationprocess.
Further EACSOF is the mandated official CSO’s representative in the EAC dialogue framework which is a tripartite dialogue of CSOs, PSOs and MEAC /EAC. The work of EACSOFisbedrockedintheforum’soverallgoalwhichistohavean EACintegrationprocess which isinclusive of the voices of and is responsive tothe needs and demands of the people.
EACSOF is an inclusive platform for CSOs to dialogue and foster sustainable equitable development in East Africa through the participation of CSOs. A cardinal objective of EACSOF is to build a critical mass of citizenry that actively participates in the EAC integration processes. Citizens are central in the process of integration and through dialogue mechanisms, EACSOF follows up and influences policies with a citizen’sviewas per its vision: Make the EAC work for Citizens.
EACSOF focuses on key policy areas of Democratic Governance; Peace and Security; Social and Economic Justice; Natural Resources, Environmental Protection and Climate Change;andMainstreaming Science and Technology and that the CSOs in various partner states have continued to influence the same for the benefit of East Africans. Also important to note, is that EACSOF set priorities for collective action on constitutionalism, integrity, free movement, economic rights, free, social cohesion and global cohesion and it also monitors the implementation and regulation of these policies such as the Customs union in which it (EACSOF) strongly participated in the development processes of the same to ensure supremacy of good governance.
1.2 Overview
The first EACSOF strategic plan was developed for the period 2011- 2015. This, at the end of 2015, therefore raised the need to develop a new consolidated plan. In addition over the period of that first strategic plan, the various chapters of the forum had grown but also had defined different priority aspirations. There was therefore a need to crystallize the various country views and subsequently consolidate them together into a consolidated regional plan.