The Constituency Building programme
Constituency building for advocacy
Being an African voice for Africa’s development, African Monitor has identified the grassroots communities as the most marginalized and vulnerable population group in Africa. African Monitor has been building capacity of grassroots communities in several African countries and has also built a constituency base for advocacy, focusing mainly on Faith-Based Organizations and the Youth networks.
Constituency building is one of the most important components for a successful advocacy campaign, as it establishes a connection between various constituents or groups (Faith-Based Organizations and Youth Networks) who share the same or different values and priorities. Therefore AM has established a link between its theme: “Unlocking the African Moment Agenda” and the existing values and desires of each group.
Under the Constituency Building programme, African Monitor focuses on two areas:
The Youth Network
The youth network, for example, has identified the implementation of the Youth Decade (2009-2018) Plan of Action as their priority. Therefore, they have taken a stand to advocate African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and member states to effectively implement the Youth Decade Plan of Action, within the agreed time. The African Monitor’s youth network can be elevated to become a strong constituency base focusing on mobilizing actions of youth and advocate for the implementation of the Youth Decade Plan of Action.
In January 2009 in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of the African Union declared the years 2009 to 2018 as the Decade on Youth Development in Africa. The decade is an opportunity to advance the agenda of youth empowerment and development in all member states, to ensure effective and more ambitious investment in youth programmes and increased support to the development and implementation of youth policies. During the decade, the African Union Commission and member states will collectively implement the African Union’s 10 year Plan of Action on youth development in Africa.
The Youth Decade Plan of Action is the most comprehensive framework for African youth empowerment and development that the African Union has developed. If it is not adequately implemented by the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and member states, it will significantly impact the already dire conditions of the youth in Africa and thereby inhibit sustainable and equitable economic growth of the continent. The critical question therefore becomes: “Who is going to make sure that the Youth Decade Plan of Action is effectively implemented by the AUC, RECs and member states within the prescribed time?”
To respond to this crucial question, the African Monitor always faithful to its vision and mission and in partnership with Inter Faith Action for Peace in Africa acknowledged the need to unlock the youth potentials to contribute in the development of the continent; took the initiative to establish an independent Alliance of African youth organizations and networks, called “African Youth Alliance”, which has a specific mission to advocate AUC, RECs and Member States to effectively implement the Youth Decade Plan of Action
The Alliance links up different Youth Organizations across the continent for their engagement in the development agenda. The specific objectives of the network are:
The Faith-Based Organizations has identified their participation in African development agenda as their key priority. They form a functional constituency base focusing on strengthening the advocacy capacity of community champions within faith communities, in order to influence policy and practice across the continent.
African Monitor strives to keep the constituents informed about development issues as well as “the unlocking the African moment agenda”. It provides constituents (faith-based organizations and the youth network) with concrete ways to take action regarding the issues that affect them.
In addition, African Monitor proactively seeks the feedback from its constituencies, about their involvement on “unlocking the African moment agenda.”
Being an African voice for Africa’s development, African Monitor has identified the grassroots communities as the most marginalized and vulnerable population group in Africa. African Monitor has been building capacity of grassroots communities in several African countries and has also built a constituency base for advocacy, focusing mainly on Faith-Based Organizations and the Youth networks.
Constituency building is one of the most important components for a successful advocacy campaign, as it establishes a connection between various constituents or groups (Faith-Based Organizations and Youth Networks) who share the same or different values and priorities. Therefore AM has established a link between its theme: “Unlocking the African Moment Agenda” and the existing values and desires of each group.
Under the Constituency Building programme, African Monitor focuses on two areas:
The Youth Network
The youth network, for example, has identified the implementation of the Youth Decade (2009-2018) Plan of Action as their priority. Therefore, they have taken a stand to advocate African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and member states to effectively implement the Youth Decade Plan of Action, within the agreed time. The African Monitor’s youth network can be elevated to become a strong constituency base focusing on mobilizing actions of youth and advocate for the implementation of the Youth Decade Plan of Action.
In January 2009 in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of the African Union declared the years 2009 to 2018 as the Decade on Youth Development in Africa. The decade is an opportunity to advance the agenda of youth empowerment and development in all member states, to ensure effective and more ambitious investment in youth programmes and increased support to the development and implementation of youth policies. During the decade, the African Union Commission and member states will collectively implement the African Union’s 10 year Plan of Action on youth development in Africa.
The Youth Decade Plan of Action is the most comprehensive framework for African youth empowerment and development that the African Union has developed. If it is not adequately implemented by the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and member states, it will significantly impact the already dire conditions of the youth in Africa and thereby inhibit sustainable and equitable economic growth of the continent. The critical question therefore becomes: “Who is going to make sure that the Youth Decade Plan of Action is effectively implemented by the AUC, RECs and member states within the prescribed time?”
To respond to this crucial question, the African Monitor always faithful to its vision and mission and in partnership with Inter Faith Action for Peace in Africa acknowledged the need to unlock the youth potentials to contribute in the development of the continent; took the initiative to establish an independent Alliance of African youth organizations and networks, called “African Youth Alliance”, which has a specific mission to advocate AUC, RECs and Member States to effectively implement the Youth Decade Plan of Action
The Alliance links up different Youth Organizations across the continent for their engagement in the development agenda. The specific objectives of the network are:
- To effectively advocate for the implementation of African Youth Decade 2009-2018 Plan of Action (DPoA) by the African Union Commission , Regional Economic Communities and member States.
- To advocate African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and Member States to popularize the Youth Decade Plan of Action and the African Youth Charter among African youth
- To mobilize action of African Youth Organizatios in key development and policy issues that promotes the unlocking the African moment for the grassroots.
The Faith-Based Organizations has identified their participation in African development agenda as their key priority. They form a functional constituency base focusing on strengthening the advocacy capacity of community champions within faith communities, in order to influence policy and practice across the continent.
African Monitor strives to keep the constituents informed about development issues as well as “the unlocking the African moment agenda”. It provides constituents (faith-based organizations and the youth network) with concrete ways to take action regarding the issues that affect them.
In addition, African Monitor proactively seeks the feedback from its constituencies, about their involvement on “unlocking the African moment agenda.”
