introducing idasa idasa is an independent public interest organisation committed to promoting...

INTRODUCING IDASA

Idasa is an independent public interest organisation committed to promoting sustainable democracy based

on active citizenship, democratic institutions, and social justice.

Country-led Governance AssessmentsSharing Experiences and Increasing Political

Accountability Namibia, November 2009

Programmes

Idasa has nine programmes with expertise in

• Social research• Political facilitation• Public education and training• Coalition and network building• Monitoring and information dissemination

Building a climate for Democracy

A Critical Ally of Transition

Supporting Critical Elections

Looking towards Africa

Building Democratic Institutions

Empowering Citizens

Building Capacity for Democracy

Idasa: 20 Years of Democracy Advocacy

The role of African think tanks in Accountable Politics

1987

2009

Engagement with Governance and Measuring Democracy

Idasa’s Democracy Index • Measuring South Africa’s new democracy – how do you tell

if you are moving forward? How can you seriously examine the quality of democracy?

• Central question: Do the people rule and do they rule equally?

• Developed 2002, refined from 150 to 100 indicators• Five Branches: Consensus on and Participation in Popular

Self-government; Popular Selection of Decision-makers; Popular Control over Decision-makers; Equality; and Human Dignity

• Involves work by five analysts and “scoring” by Idasa management based on analysis and experience in the field


Engagement with Governance and Measuring Democracy (2)

• UNECA Governance Study (Report & Revision)• South Africa’s APRM (2006)• Afrobarometer (ongoing)• Local Governance Barometer (ongoing)• Comparative Study of Governance (Ghana,

Mozambique, Rwanda)• Developing ‘African’ Indicators - AU Charter on

Democracy, Governance and Elections (measuring Africa by it own benchmarks)


The African Charter on Democracy, Elections & Governance

1. Adopted by the African Union in January 2007

2. Thus far, only Mauritania (August 08) and Ethiopia (Jan 09 have completed the necessary ratification process

3. 25 Member States have signed the Charter

4. For the Charter to become a legal instrument, 15 members must sign, ratify and lodge the ratification with the AU Commission


Idasa’s African Charter on DEG Project

1. The project seeks to a) assess and measure ten countries using the Charter as a lens and b) build constituencies of support for the Charter in these 10 countries

2. The countries selected: Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and South Africa

3. This will involve desktop and in-country research and mapping exercises are underway at present

4. Identified local partners will attend a project Launch Workshop in February at which a report will be launched and country strategies will be developed in the service of ratification


Idasa’s African Charter on DEG Project (2)

Report Structure1. Governance IndicatorsIncl. a comparative look at the World Bank, Freedom

House, Economist Intelligence Unit, Bertelsmann Transformation Index and the Ibrahim Index of African Governance

2. Highlights based on Charter ChaptersIncl. a focus on democratic institutions, democratic

elections and building a culture of democracy3. Conclusion and ratification strategies


Discussion Points

• What are the incentives and disincentives for accountability and transparency?

• What factors limit local capacity to both develop and use indicators in the service of accountability?

• What factors shape and determine political will?• What does ‘democracy’ mean in the African

context?• Is the AU well placed to promote and ensure

democratic practice?


Further information

www.idasa.org

introducing idasa idasa is an independent public interest organisation committed to promoting...

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