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The free flow of information across the political spectrum and
transparency at all levels is vital if a democracy is to be stable
and responsive to the needs of the citizens. Due to the openness
of the Namibian government, there are many opportunities for the
citizens to give input to public policies through systematic and
peaceful interaction with authorities, a process known as advocacy.
Advocacy is the organised effort of individuals, groups and organisations
that take stock of "what is" and take action to highlight
issues that have been ignored, to influence public attitudes and
to enact and implement laws and policies so that the vision of "what
should be" in society becomes a reality.
The intention of advocacy is not to pit citizens against their
government, but rather to constructively enable a partnership between
private citizens and their representatives in government to enhance
the quality of life and promote development. In that partnership,
private citizens have a responsibility to communicate their needs
and aspirations to government officials in an orderly, peaceful
manner. In return, government officials have the obligation to listen
and, through dialogue with citizens, determine which goals are feasible
and in the national interest to pursue, and the best policies for
their attainment.
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By strengthening the link between civil society and the Government in Namibia, the
Government's ability is enhanced to identify and address legitimate needs before
they result in undue hardships or promote instability. Advocacy, as a sustained,
systematic and peaceful effort to influence public policies that affect people's
lives, may therefore be a key element in entrenching democracy
in Namibia.
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The process of advocacy, however, requires a strong and active
civil society, characterized by critical and open public debate
without fear or criticism on political, social, economic, cultural
and environmental issues and events affecting Namibian society.
It is debatable whether such vibrant civil society currently exists
in Namibia, as it seems that civil society is still in a phase of
defining its place and purpose. Furthermore, the lack advocacy and
lobbying skills, as well as the
lack of internal capacity
skills
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and institutional development of most
NGOs and civic groups,
can be regarded
as the biggest detriment to effective advocacy in Namibia. |
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