ANNUAL REPORT 2015 SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC DEMOCRATIC CHANGE SUPPORTING CHANGE
AWEPA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Production Notes Text AWEPA staff
Editing Emanuela Falzon Campbell, Theo Kralt, Marion Verweij
Photos AWEPA Staff, United Nations Photos, Creative Commons
Design Emanuela Falzon Campbell
AWEPA International Prins Hendrikkade 48-G 1012 AC Amsterdam, the Netherlands Tel +31 20 5245678 Fax +31 20 6220130 amsterdam@awepa.org www.awepa.org Š AWEPA 2016
Cover Photo A young woman displays her hand after voting in the Somaliland elections in 2010. Teresa Krug/Flickr
Donors and Partners in 2015
Specifically, AWEPA would like to express its gratitude for the core funding it receives from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Irish Aid, as well as the institutional funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Contents
Acronyms
7
Message from the President
8
About AWEPA
10
The European Programme
11
Programmes
14
Benin
16
Parliament of Democratic Republic of Congo
18
Development Effectiveness
20
An Empowered and Effective East African Legislative Assembly
22
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
24
Ending Child Marriage
26
Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
28
Strengthening Regional Parliaments towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals
30
Strengthening Democratic Institutions in Mozambique
32
Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa
34
South African Provincial Legislatures
36
Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia
38
South Sudan’s Legislative Assembly and Local Councils
40
Partnership Council
42
Eminent Advisory Board
43
Governing Council
44
Executive Committee
45
Staff
46
AWEPA Offices
47
Financial Overview
48
Africanisation Policy
52
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Acronyms ADA Austrian Development Agency AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AJFAND African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Development ANC African National Congress AWEPA Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa AU African Union CAR Central African Republic CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CEMAC Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa COP20 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP21 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference DFID Department for International Development DRC Democratic Republic of Congo EAC East African Community EALA East African Legislative Assembly ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States EFQM European Foundation for Quality Management EIP European Innovation Partnership EU European Union FGM/C Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting GPEDC Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus ICGLR International Conference of the Great Lakes Region ICGLR-PF International Conference of the Great Lakes Region Parliamentary Forum ICT Information and Communications Technology IDP Internally Displaced Person KEWOPA Kenyan Women Parliamentary Association MDG Millennium Development Goal MPAC Municipal Public Account Committee
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
MP Member of Parliament MoU Memorandum of Understanding NAP Network of African Parliamentarians NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development NFP National Federal Parliament NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NIMD Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy NLA National Legislative Assembly NPCA NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency O2P Obligation to Protect ODA Official Development Assistance OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development PAP Pan-African Parliament RFPAC Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa SADC Southern African Development Community SALGA South African Local Government Assistance SAPL South African Provincial Legislature SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDGs Sustainable Development Goals Sida Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SSLA South Sudan Legislative Assembly ToT Training of Trainers UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNICEF United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund
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A message from the President
Uniting parliamentarians for a more humane future Peace and security are threatened on a regular basis across the world. In the last couple of years, the peace that Europe has worked hard to ensure over the past 50 years has been threatened in the most shocking and inhuman ways. Peace will, I hope, unite us further as we stand against that which would destroy the pillars of our free society. The attacks in Paris, and recently in my home capital, Brussels, highlight this in a violent and extreme way. My thoughts and those of all at AWEPA go out to the victims, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by these atrocities. Peaceful societies are a vital requirement for achieving human rights, freedom, sustainable development and progress. Addressing issues that detract from peace is at the core of AWEPA’s mission and a driving motivation in what we do. We know that parliamentarians play a vital role in this process as the voice of the people, representing their needs and wishes. Parliamentarians must be the ones to hold their countries’ leaders in check and to ensure that legislation is in place to guard the wishes of the ordinary citizens they represent. United across borders they become an even stronger force for a better and more humane future. With regards to this process, one of AWEPA’s highlights of 2015 was its International Parliamentary Seminar on Peace, Security and Sustainable Development, in which special focus was placed on the role of African and European Parliaments in tackling the root causes and consequences of violent extremism and terrorism. The seminar, held on 8 and 9 October, was hosted by the Belgian Senate in Brussels. During the seminar, which was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), we were fortunate to have knowledgeable, articulate and passionate speakers addressing various aspects of this issue. If I may take the liberty of quoting one of our renowned speakers, H.E. Page 8
Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the United Nations General Assembly Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): “Legislators are the representatives of the People, the very people who will perpetrate acts of extreme violence and terrorism, the very people who are caught up in war and acts that undermine peaceful societies and stable institutions. Legislators need to act as leaders and as guides for people. Leaders who understand that we need global legislatures that think for their communities but also beyond them. Leaders who legislate as if peace matters, as if the planet matters. Leaders who want to secure the peace, to secure the planet and to secure us all within that planet.” For more on this seminar I recommend the Conference Synopsis and the Declaration that were produced during the conference. Both of these can be found on our website (www.awepa.org). Without our donors, AWEPA wouldn’t exist. Several have supported us for many years and we view our donors as our partners in our mission to work to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Africa alongside African parliamentarians. 2015 saw a number of donor contracts renewed and new contracts granted. One new departure for us is a Strategic Partnership with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Whilst the Netherlands has supported AWEPA for many years, in the framework of the new Dutch policy agenda of foreign trade and development cooperation, AWEPA was among 25 strategic partnerships selected by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for a new Dialogue and Dissent programme. The aim is to strengthen civil society in low- and middle-income countries to promote advocacy and lobbying. In this programme, AWEPA will partner with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), an organisation that works primarily with political parties and participants. AWEPA will contribute to the partnership based on its strength in working with parliaments and parliamentarians. According to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AWEPA and NIMD are complementary, both have a strong track record in enhancing democratic dialogue and the niche approach of both organisations will add value to the Ministry and the other strategic partners in the programme. The current programme, which lasts for a period of five years, began in 2016 but a lot of preparatory work took place in 2015. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Another exciting development in 2015 was the signing of a new contract with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). The new programme represents AWEPA’s firstcollaboration with DFID and aims to encourage parliaments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to reflect on their engagement in the budget process overall, and the ex-ante (forecast) phase in particular. Ultimately, the programme is expected to facilitate a budget process in parliament that takes into account both independent comparative information and country needs. By applying such an approach, the parliaments selected for the programme can position themselves as champions of the sustainable management of public resources towards poverty reduction. Gender is a cross-cutting theme in all our programmes and activities. Specifically, our work to end female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage took form through various activities in Senegal, Mali, Kenya, Zambia, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Mozambique. One of the significant outcomes in 2015 was that three AWEPA parliamentary activities in the SADC region facilitated the development process of the draft “SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage”. This Model Law was developed in order to tackle issues of child marriage, focusing on marriageable age, prevention, protection, and care for children. It is expected to be considered, approved and adopted in June 2016 during the Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF).
About Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet As a member of the Belgian, European and Flemish Parliaments for over 30 years, 14 of which she served as Minister for the Belgian Government, Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet has played an important role in Belgian and European politics, especially in the fields of equality in politics, environment and labour. Her deep-rooted urge to see equal opportunities for all, not only regarding gender but in all areas of human dignity, brought her into contact with AWEPA where, having served two terms of office on the Executive Committee, she was elected President in October 2009 through the unanimous vote of the AWEPA Governing Council. Widow of the former Belgian Prime Minister and Vice President of AWEPA, Mr. Wilfried Martens, Ms. Smet resides in Belgium where, alongside her work for AWEPA, she continues to support society in a variety of ways.
In June 2015, a National Seminar on FGM/C was organised in Nairobi, Kenya an important outcome of which was the precipitation of the creation of a parliamentary caucus on FGM/C, which held its first meeting in October 2015. The aim of the caucus is to facilitate parliamentary action/messages on the issue of FGM/C. I have mentioned only the tip of the iceberg of the activities we organised in 2015. It was a challenging and exciting year which platformed the strong situation we find ourselves in 2016. For this, I would like to thank all our donors, our members, our partners and a very dedicated and professional staff.
Photo: Participants of the International Parliamentary Seminar on Peace, Security and Sustainable Development held on 8-9 October 2015 in Brussels, Belgium.
Ms. Miet Smet, Minister of State, President of AWEPA
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
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Elections lie at the heart of democracy. AWEPA works in partnership with African parliaments to strengthen democracy in Africa, keep Africa high on the political agenda in Europe, and facilitate African-European parliamentary dialogue. Photo: UN Archive.
About AWEPA The Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) works in cooperation with African parliaments to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Africa, keep Africa high on the political agenda in Europe and facilitate AfricanEuropean parliamentary dialogue. It is the organisation’s firm belief that strong parliaments - in their role as arbiters of peace, stability and prosperity - lie at the heart of long-term development and the realisation of human rights. Accordingly, AWEPA strives to strengthen African parliaments and promote human dignity by supporting complex democratisation operations across the continent. The key to AWEPA’s work lies in the organisation’s unique character and resources including: •
An extended membership skills base of European parliamentarians who devote their wide-ranging expertise to peer-learning with African colleagues;
•
Long-term partnerships with African parliamentary colleagues, vital for local ownership and accountability
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•
An infrastructure of political and parliamentary entry points, comprising AWEPA’s offices and the parliaments it works with across Africa and Europe, including the PanAfrican Parliament and the European Parliament.
With these resources, AWEPA works to promote parliamentary competency and authority; good governance based on the separation of powers; the increased participation of women in decision-making; the participation of civil society in the political process; and an independent and qualified media as a component of the democratic process. Strategic vision and Mission AWEPA is driven by political leadership, and its leaders both African and European - share a vision of reinvigorated parliaments as the foundations of future democracy, peace and prosperity. As such, they work together to support the realisation of human rights and development in Africa by strengthening these democratic institutions. AWEPA is an international parliamentary association that is strictly non-partisan. AWEPA has Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council and is on the list of Official Development Assistance (ODA) Eligible Organisations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development / Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC).
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
The European Programme The European Membership and Sections form an integral part of AWEPA’s work and mission. AWEPA boasts a broad network of members made up of current and former European parliamentarians from the parliaments of almost all EU Member States plus the European Parliament, Norway and Switzerland. The members constitute, where appropriate, a Section within their respective parliaments.
H.E. Ambassador Macharia Kamau and AWEPA’s President, Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet, address AWEPA members and partners at the International Parliamentary Seminar on Peace, Security and Sustainable Development held on 8-9 October 2015 in Brussels, Belgium. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
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The Dutch AWEPA Section hosted a debate in the Dutch Parliament on the topic of Women, Peace and Security in April 2015. The debate payed particular attention to the importance of empowering African women parliamentarians and enhancing their role in post-conflict processes, peace building and reconciliation.
European Membership and Sections AWEPA’s solid foundation in Europe Donors Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Irish Aid
Background Through its expansive network of members, AWEPA has the unique opportunity to raise issues of common concern and act as a catalyst for policy dialogue within the national parliaments of Europe and the European Parliament. As key political contributors, AWEPA’s members are integral to the organisation’s mission and progammes, and play an active role in the development, implementation and continuation of its work. AWEPA is committed to strengthening its Sections in Europe and aims to enhance the dedication of members to AWEPA’s programmes and related scope of work. A core group of members is actively engaged in AWEPA’s activities and programmes in Africa. Page 12
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Objectives Members within each Section are committed to: •
Facilitating knowledge-sharing and strengthening cooperation between African and European parliamentarians, and among African parliamentarians, in order to help to address capacity challenges in parliaments;
•
Addressing issues ranging from development cooperation to accountability for, and local ownership of, thematic development programmes;
•
Encouraging and enabling European parliamentarians to increase their parliamentary action in areas of development cooperation, thus making a tangible contribution to sustainable and democratic development in Africa.
AWEPA’s work with its members and Sections is based on a number of key objectives:
AWEPA also encouraged selected members to take an active role in the organisation’s programmes and activities in Africa. Similarly, African partners participated in peer-learning and exchange activities in Europe, including international seminars and study visits. In terms of activities, other tasks taken on by members included: coordinating Section meetings; recruiting new members; facilitating public outreach (press releases); receiving African delegations; organising events; keeping colleagues, relevant committees and government officials informed; and raising awareness during plenary sessions and debates.
Impacts In 2015, the main impacts of AWEPA’s work with the European parliaments included: •
Enhanced knowledge, understanding and experience amongst members and Sections on the state of affairs in African parliaments and the capacity strengthening support required by African partners;
•
To create and maintain Sections in the national parliaments in Europe. This comprises the primary responsibility of members, who receive support from the AWEPA Secretariat;
•
Strengthened relations between African and European parliamentarians and among European members, through engagement in AWEPA’s programmes and participation in targeted activities;
•
To increase the strategic involvement of members with specific responsibilities in their respective parliaments. This includes parliamentarians sitting on key committees such as Foreign Affairs Committees and Development Committees;
•
Increased in-depth knowledge among members on the role of parliamentarians in addressing pressing development issues, as well as improved awareness of the importance and power of tackling these problems jointly with Africa and Europe;
•
To ensure a timely reaction to the programme needs. This involves garnering support from European MPs; promoting the active participation of EU members; utilising relevant expertise in interactions with African partners; and facilitating linkages between members and partners outside of programme activities.
•
Strengthened international representation of members in the area of African development cooperation issues and parliamentary capacity building;
•
Renewal and strengthening of targeted Sections as well as political leadership positions in AWEPA following the parliamentary elections in European parliaments;
•
Delivery on a structural basis of ongoing support to the maintenance of AWEPA’s communications with its membership. More specifically, the experiences and reflections of AWEPA’s members were showcased through AWEPA’s communication tools, in particular the monthly e-newsletter.
Example of activities Throughout 2015, extensive efforts were employed to enhance the commitment of members to AWEPA’s mission and programmes, and to promote and facilitate the exchange of ideas and experience between African partners and AWEPA members.
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
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Programmes Throughout 2015, AWEPA worked with some 30 parliaments across Africa, including national parliaments, regional parliamentary institutions, and decentralised authorities. Together with members of these bodies, AWEPA undertook a number of institutional and thematic capacity-building programmes. Through its institutional programmes, AWEPA aims to enhance the skills of parliamentarians to enable them to better execute their legislative, representative and oversight roles. Programmes are also carried out in post-conflict zones, where AWEPA seeks to strengthen the role of parliaments in promoting peace, reconciliation and good governance. Alongside these direct capacity-building activities, AWEPA also implements thematic programmes, which strive to inform and mobilise parliamentarians, building their capacity to take action on specific development issues in their country or region. To this end, AWEPA organised a number of conferences, exchanges and publications in 2015 with a primary focus on the following issues: development effectiveness, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), child marriage, achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and bridging the gap between political parties and parliaments.
Families at Ali Hussein camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somaliland. Through its programmes, AWEPA works with parliaments to protect human rights and realise sustainable development Photo: Oxfam International/Flickr.
Please note: The Political Coordinators and Senior Parliamentary Advisors listed per programme reflect 2016.
PossotomÊ, Benin. AWEPA and NIMD’s partnership in Benin strives to bridge the gap between political parties and parliaments.
Benin
Bridging the Gap Between political parties and parliaments Donor Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).
Political Coordinators Mr. Bernard Lesterlin, France Mr. Henk Jan Ormel, the Netherlands
Background AWEPA and NIMD joined forces formally in 2011 in a partnership aimed to strengthen political parties, parliaments and the party-parliament nexus in Benin. The overall objective is to contribute to the development of pluralistic democratic societies through a participatory decision-making process grounded on a solid multiparty system and the work of a strong parliament. The partnership between AWEPA and NIMD, established in 2011, rests on the ambition to link two streams of democracy support, targeting:
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•
Democratic structure and procedural reform through parliamentary capacity building;
•
Political culture and behavioural change through political party support.
The programme follows a multiparty and non-partisan approach and is based on the principles of national ownership, flexibility and gender equality.
Objectives The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the development and consolidation of a democratic pluralist society based on participative decision-making processes rooted in a solid multiparty system and a strong parliament. A set of actions has been planned within three distinct intervention areas that address the political system of Benin as a whole: •
Facilitation of a forum for discussion between MPs and political parties with the expected outcome of starting a functioning dialogue between Beninese key politicians;
•
Capacity building for MPs, parliamentary staff, politicians and young political actors through skills training on relevant issues;
•
Enhanced interaction between the political and civil society through the organisation of multiple public hearings on a theme related to multiparty dialogue and training.
AWEPA and NIMD were also successful in setting up a pilot School of Politics, which will continue to operate as a fullyfledged body from 2016 onwards. Following a selection process, about 40 young Beninese people from various political parties and civil society organisations attended two sessions of political training as well as monthly informal meeting, known as “Cafés Politiques”.
Impacts The cooperation between AWEPA, NIMD and the National Assembly of Benin was successful in 2015, despite challenges relating to the parliamentary elections held in May. Good progress was noted regarding the impact of capacity building activities on both Parliament (MPs and staff) and political parties (by training young talented members through the School of Politics). Parliamentary outreach visits are also an important aspect of AWEPA’s programme in Benin. This will be a major focus under the upcoming Strategic Partnership Programme (2016-2020) on interactions between political actors and civil society. In addition, AWEPA and NIMD will continue to build capacity in the Parliament and political parties, and will initiate a multi-stakeholder dialogue process on democratic reforms.
Example of activities AWEPA organised an induction seminar for the recently elected Members of the 7th Parliament on 2-3 November 2015. The key objectives of this seminar were to provide the recently elected Members of the Beninese Parliament with the knowledge required to settle into and function optimally in the legislature; understand its processes; carry out their representative function; and deliver work in committees efficiently and effectively.
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Participants of the AWEPA-NIMD School of Politics during its first training workshop, held on 23-27 February 2015.. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Women in North Kivu, DRC, a flashpoint in military conflicts in the region since 1998. Photo: MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti.
Parliament of Democratic Republic of Congo Preventing internal and external conflict in DRC Donor Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. Franรงois-Xavier de Donnea, Belgium
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Sabine de Bethune, Belgium
Background The collaboration between the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and AWEPA dates back nearly 20 years. In the beginning, this collaboration was primarily dedicated to capacity building for new parliamentarians elected during the transition period between the Second and Third Republics.
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Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Today, AWEPA’s focus lies in facilitating political exchange between the DRC Parliament and other parliaments in the Great Lakes Region. This process is carried out in view of a regional context characterised by political, security and humanitarian crises. As such, the cooperation programme between AWEPA and the Parliament is largely devoted to the prevention of internal and external conflict through capacity building and parliamentary diplomacy.
Objectives During 2015, the general objectives of AWEPA’s programme with the DRC Parliament were to contribute to capacity building and conflict prevention.
Impacts AWEPA carries out capacity building activities in close collaboration with the DRC Parliament. Through AWEPA’s work, the Parliament is strengthened in a number of technical fields. This requires the input of international experts who share informed opinions. Based on the learning outcomes of the Seminar on Environmental Protection, the Congolese parliamentarians were able to influence the Government’s environmental policy. As a result, the Government’s position reflected the necessary political consensus which will contribute to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, and government measures in this field will transcend traditional political divides.
The specific objectives for this period were: •
To strengthen the capacities of members of the Parliamentary Commissions responsible for the Environment, the Economy and Foreign Affairs, specifically in the field of environmental protection with respect to the issues raised during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21);
•
To strengthen the capacities of members of the Commissions responsible for Foreign Affairs in the fields of parliamentary diplomacy with a view to conflict prevention and resolution.
Example of activities Among other activities, AWEPA organised a large-scale Seminar on Environmental Protection on 11 October 2015 at the initiative of the Environmental Commissions of both chambers of the DRC Parliament. This seminar aimed to deepen the parliamentarians’ knowledge surrounding environmental challenges, climate change and the evolution of the international negotiations carried out between the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 20) in Lima in 2014.
Photo: Participants of the CEMAC-DRC Parliamentary Dialogue on Lake Chad, in November 2015.
This seminar paved the way for a number of activities, during which the Congolese parliamentarians defined a parliamentary plan of action and a number of strategies in the run up to COP 21, which was attended by a delegation of 12 MPs and five parliamentary advisors from DRC. Page 19
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Children at play at the Yida settlement in Unity State, in northern South Sudan. Photo: K Millar/Flickr
Development Effectiveness
Deepening the involvement of parliament in development Donors
Austrian Development Agency (ADA) Irish Aid Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) UK Department for International Development (DFID)
Political Coordinators Lord David Chidgey, UK Hon. Maureen O’Sullivan, Ireland
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Claudia Durchschlag, Austria Page 20
Background AWEPA’s Development Effectiveness programme has been in operation since 2008, when it led the first parliamentary delegation to the third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. Over time, the programme has worked at the global level, mainly through the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) and its previous structures, in supporting and monitoring the incorporation of the institution of parliament in development policies, processes and plans at the national and regional levels throughout Africa. The programme aims to develop critical thinking skills on the part of select local, national and regional parliaments on the nature and limits of the information provided in their local or national budgets and of parliament’s oversight role therein. In the broader accountability framework, the focus has been predominately placed on parliaments’ relationship with their executives, although parliamentary relations with the donor community constitute a natural imperative. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Through tailor-made workshops and peer-to-peer southsouth and north-south cooperation, partner parliaments have been supported in developing parliamentary plans of action with regard to the oversight of Official Development Assistance (ODA), positioning them to work towards the inclusion of external revenues in their national budgets.
Objectives The general objective of the Development Effectiveness Programme is to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the executive and development policies and processes through peer-to-peer south-south and north-south cooperation.
Impacts As a result of the activities facilitated by AWEPA in 2015: •
The Planning and Budget Committee of the Parliament of Mozambique received direct support with on-the-job training and analytical shadowing of staff on public and financial management;
•
The concept of JMTs was revised to prioritise areas of cooperation on food security and international trade;
•
Regional benchmarks for the SADC region were adopted for selected domestic resource appropriations;
•
Members of the SADC Standing Committees gained confidence in their understanding of parliamentary oversight of the executive throughout the budget cycle in the region, while reinforcing the importance of the use of the national budget as an instrument in national development;
•
Regional integration in the management of natural resources was improved through interaction and exchange of best practice and progress at the regional level;
•
A Joint SADC Parliamentary Statement was adopted outlining the actions that should be taken in order to ensure that taxation and oversight as a source of domestic resource mobilisation is prioritised among SADC parliaments;
•
A template for the collection of HIV/AIDS benchmarks for financial oversight was discussed, refined and validated by SADC MPs and parliamentary staff.
In 2015, the specific objectives included: •
Assisting in the development of the institutional capacity of SADC-PF to function as a regional parliament by building the capacities of parliamentarians on key topics such as domestic resource mobilisation;
•
Building a Joint Monitoring Team (JMT) process with parliamentarians from Mozambique, Tanzania and Ireland to engage in international dialogue on salient development issues prioritised by participating members themselves.
Example of activities Activities implemented by AWEPA in 2015 included: •
Strategic meetings of teams of parliamentarians from Ireland and Mozambique;
•
A review meeting of the JMTs in London to explore ways forward;
•
Six months of support to the Planning and Budget Committee of the Parliament of Mozambique for technical assistance and training;
•
Inaugural meetings of two of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Standing Committees outside of plenary (the Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights and the Committee on Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Infrastructure);
•
A Consultative Meeting to Consider the Draft Benchmarks for HIV and AIDS Financial Oversight in SADC;
•
A workshop on SADC Domestic Resource Mobilisation through Taxation and Oversight;
•
Regular participation in GPEDC Steering Committee meetings as well as the Advisory Group and Annual Meetings of the Effective Institutions Platform (EIP).
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Budgetary Oversight and Scrutiny (BOS) Programme AWEPA’s new Budgetary Oversight and Scrutiny Programme, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), was inaugurated in November 2015. During its first two months, the programme focused on coordinating with programme partners and establishing the necessary human resources to commence activity implementation in 2016.
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Hon. Christophe Bazivamo mover of the Bill on Forestry Management and Protection Bill 2015.
An Empowered and Effective East African Legislative Assembly Strengthening regional integration in the East African Community Donors Government of Sweden Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. Kerstin Lundgren, Sweden
Senior Parliamentary Advisors Hon. Kerstin Engle, Sweden Ms. Katharine Bulbulia, Ireland Page 22
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Background AWEPA firmly believes in regional integration as a key to long-term sustainable development and democratisation in Africa, allowing countries to combine forces in dealing with the multifaceted social, economic and political challenges which often exist across geographical boundaries. Based on this conviction, the current East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Capacity Development programme has run from 2011-2015, with an extension until May 2016, with the objective of contributing to accelerated, harmonious and balanced development, and continued democratisation in East Africa. EALA was founded in 2001 and functions as the legislative organ of the East African Community (EAC). Since its inception, the Assembly has worked with AWEPA to implement programmes designed to develop EALA’s capacity in the EAC.
Objectives
the development, protection, conservation, and sustainable use and management of forests in the EAC, and to harmonise national forest laws. With EALA institutional support, the ATNR Committee undertook a series of public hearings in the EAC Partner States to sensitise stakeholders on the EAC Forest Management and Protection Bill, and allow stakeholders to contribute amendments to the Bill. With support from AWEPA, the Committee convened afterwards to finalise the report on the public hearings and to work on the final schedule of amendments to the Bill. The EAC Forest Management and Protection Bill was consequently enacted by EALA during its November 2015 session in Kigali.
Impacts In 2015, EALA passed 9 bills and 10 resolutions, and produced 20 reports. Since 2001, EALA has passed a total of 46 bills that have been assented to by the EAC Heads of State; in addition to this, 26 bills have been passed but still await assent and another 9 bills have been submitted to the EALA Committees for further scrutiny.
The programme seeks to empower EALA to effectively fulfill its legislative, representative and oversight mandate, particularly in matters related to improving the EAC integration process and increasing cooperation among EAC Partner States in political, economic, social and cultural fields. More specifically, the programme aims to enhance EALA’s legislative and oversight role; realise effective outreach thereby promoting the representation of the interests of the East African people; increase the institutional and organistional capacity of EALA; and establish effective linkages with national assemblies, with other regional Parliaments and internationally.
Example of activities The programme has provisions in place to support EALA members in the development of private members’ bills. An example of this in 2015 was the engagement of experts to work alongside Hon. Christophe Bazivamo and the EALA Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources (ATNR) to develop and introduce a regional legal framework for forestry protection. The objective of the bill is to promote Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Photo: Hon. Judith Pareno presents the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources.
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Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Parliamentarians as key players in ending FGM/C Donors
Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs (through UNFPA/ UNICEF Joint Programme) Plan Netherlands
Political Coordinator Hon. Els Van Hoof, Belgium
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Petra Bayr, Austria / Hon. Katharina Kucharowits, Austria
Fadumo with her daughters at their shelter in Walala Biyotey camp for IDPs. Fadumo swore that she would not let her children undergo FGM/C after she suffered from the procedure. Photo: David Mutua/Flickr
Background
Example of activities and their impacts
Worldwide, an estimated 200 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and more than 3 million girls are at risk of being cut every year in Africa alone (UNICEF, 2016). According to the European Parliament, approximately 500,000 girls and women living in Europe have undergone FGM/C and another 180,000 are at risk each year.
The AWEPA FGM/C Programme Luxembourg In June 2015, a successful outreach visit took place to the Senegalese regions of Sedhiou, Kolda and Ziguinchor, areas with high prevalence of FGM/C. The overall goal of the activity was to raise awareness at the community level about FGM/C in order to change perceptions of the practice and to ultimately reduce its prevalence. The method used was to sensitise and train local focal points from the Sedhiou, Kolda and Zinguichor areas on various aspects of FGM/C, including the medical and legal dimensions of the practice, as well as to present the strategy for abandonment developed by Senegalese parliamentarians and the local Task Force. This strategy avoids the standard ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead focuses on building participatory tailor-made strategies at the community level.
AWEPA’s engagement with FGM/C dates back to 2009, when the decision was taken by the AWEPA Partnership Council to prioritise the abandonment of the practice. Since then, a large number of parliamentary activities have taken place. The programme’s overall objective is to enhance the capacity of African parliaments to exercise their oversight, representative and legislative functions with regard to FGM/C. AWEPA is uniquely placed to support parliamentarians as key catalysts for ending this harmful practice. It has a wide network of parliamentarians both in Europe and Africa and partners with the United Nations, civil society organisations and other branches of government to abandon the practice of FGM/C.
Objectives AWEPA’s FGM/C programme aims to contribute to an increase in capacity among parliamentarians to legislate around the protection of women and girls from violence, including FGM/C, as well as to establish linkages with communities requiring support towards abandonment. The objective of the AWEPA/Plan Nederland Programme, entitled ‘Obligation to Protect (O2P) Agents of Change unite against FGM/C’, is to promote the abandonment of FGM/C within one generation in selected communities in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan. To achieve this, AWEPA works to enhance legislative and budgetary actions taken by MPs, as well as strengthening the capacity of the local government to influence behaviour change in target communities and to improve the implementation of existing laws through law enforcement mechanisms.
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
The AWEPA/Plan Nederland FGM/C Programme Also in June 2015, a National Seminar on FGM/C was organised in Nairobi, Kenya. The Seminar was well attended with a gender-balanced participation and brought together 85 participants. The objective of this activity was to brief MPs about the context surrounding FGM/C in Kenya and the gaps in the 2011 Prohibition of FGM Act. Furthermore, the seminar aimed to present the O2P programme to these MPs and to identify champions and focal persons within the Kenya National Assembly with whom the O2P programme will interact to achieve its objectives. As a result of the seminar, and in order to facilitate parliamentary action and messages on the issue of FGM/C, a parliamentary Caucus on FGM/C was created at the end of the seminar. This Caucus consists of MPs from the three committees present (the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee; the Health Affairs Committee and the Labour and Social Welfare Committee), among them members of the Kenyan Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), as well as a representative of the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Ministry of Health, Plan International Kenya and AWEPA. The Caucus held its first meeting in October 2015.
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Ending Child Marriage
Giving children the chance to be children Donor Plan Netherlands
Political Coordinator Hon. Els Van Hoof, Belgium
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Ms. Magda De Meyer Hon. Petra Bayr, Austria
Child marriage often means the end of a girls’ formal education. When a girl drops out of school she is denied her right to an education and the ability to develop the skills and knowledge needed to live a healthy, fulfilling life and one where she can earn an income and contribute to her family and community. Photo: Unicef Ethiopia/Kedija Helem/Flickr
Background Worldwide each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18. Child brides are mostly disempowered, dependent on their husbands and deprived of their fundamental rights to health, education and safety. With little access to education and economic opportunities, they and their families are more likely to live in poverty. AWEPA’s engagement with the issue of child marriage dates back to 2012 when the organisation joined the Girls not Brides campaign. This campaign was initiated by the Elders and its Chair, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is also Honorary Chair of AWEPA’s Eminent Advisory Board. Since then different activities have been implemented, mostly under the AWEPA/ Plan Nederland project entitled “No, I don’t”. The overall objective of the parliamentary component of this project is to facilitate the creation of an enabling legal and policy environment to protect girls from child marriage.
Objectives Under the framework of the AWEPA/Plan Netherlands “No, I don’t” project, AWEPA - in cooperation with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum, the parliaments concerned and Plan local offices - implemented three parliamentary activities: a regional dialogue on child marriage in Johannesburg (February 2015) and two national follow workshops in Zambia (June 2015) and Mozambique (December 2015). The objectives of these three activities was to sensitise members of the SADC Parliamentary Forum on the issue of child marriage and its consequences, and to encourage these members to commit to take action within their respective parliament to condemn child marriage as a violation of the rights of girls with respect to their health, education and childhood.
As the main outcome of the Regional Dialogue, the process of drafting the “SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage” was kicked off. This Model Law was drafted in order to tackle issues of child marriage, focusing on marriageable age, prevention, protection, and care for children. Furthermore, the Dialogue received extensive media coverage in newspapers, internet and on television. In addition SADC Parliamentary Forum dedicated an entire edition of the Sentinel (the official newsletter of the Human and Social Development and Special Programmes of the SADC-Parliamentary Forum) to the Regional Dialogue. The Regional Dialogue was followed by two national workshops in Zambia and Mozambique. During the Zambia workshop the draft Model Law was further discussed and in Mozambique it was presented to the participants. During the debate it was stated that, since Mozambique was yet to approve any specific law on child marriage, the country could draw inspiration and guidance from the Model Law once it came into force. The Model law is expected to be considered, approved and adopted in June 2016 during the Plenary Assembly of SADC Parliamentary Forum. Other results of the national workshops include, for example, a private Members Motion passed in July 2015 by one of the MPs who participated in the workshop in Zambia, which “urge[d] Government to expedite the enactment of the law criminalising child marriage”. As a result of the Mozambique workshop, AWEPA was invited to join, and is now a member of, the National Coalition to end Child Marriage.
Example of activities and their impacts The SADC Regional Dialogue on Child Marriage Laws took place in February 2015, and brought together 39 participants. These included the Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum; Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff from Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe; legal practitioners; representatives of regional and international NGOs; human rights activists; and advocates and representatives of Plan, SADC-Parliamentary Forum and AWEPA. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Hon. Gertrude Imenda addresses participants at the national workshop on child marriage laws in Zambia in June 2015. Page 27
Samfya Lake in Luapula located in the far north western part of Zambia, along the border with the DRC. AWEPA’s PF-ICGLR programme serves as a platform for dialogue, exchange of experience and conflict management for the parliaments of the member countries of the ICGLR. Photo: Alex Berger/Flickr.
Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Striving for security, stability and development in the Great Lakes Region Donors Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinators Hon. Pierre-François Veillon, Switzerland Mr. Alain Destexhe, Belgium
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Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Background As a result of the frequent crises in the Great Lakes Region, the Heads of State and Government of the region signed the Pact on Security, Stability and Development of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The signing of this agreement in December 2006 was observed by the United Nations and the African Union. AWEPA was asked to facilitate the process and, through its work, contributed to the ownership and the ratification of this Pact by the member parliaments. The Parliamentary Forum of the ICGLR was then established with the considerable task of consolidating the democratic processes of the ICGLR, notably through oversight of the effective implementation of the Pact.
Objectives The Forum aims primarily to serve as a platform for dialogue, exchange of experience and conflict management for the parliaments of the member countries of the ICGLR. In addition, it works to support government efforts in conflict prevention and resolution. The specific programme objectives for 2015 were: •
To facilitate the Forum’s statutory activities (Plenary Assembly and Executive Committee meeting);
•
To monitor the current political, security and humanitarian situation in countries in which conflicts are ongoing: Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of South Sudan;
•
To build the capacities of the Forum’s Secretariat General.
seminar in CAR on the role and responsibilities of parliamentarians in the peace and reconciliation process in post-conflict countries. AWEPA was asked by the Forum’s Secretariat General to facilitate this activity, which took place on 1-2 April 2015. The activity saw the participation of a number of political actors from the CAR as well as parliamentarians and experts from DRC, the Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
Impacts The seminar allowed delegates from countries which had also experienced internal conflict (DRC, Republic of Congo, Rwanda) to share their thoughts and learnings. The delegates from Burundi were unable to attend the activity due to the institutional crisis which was unfolding in their country. As a result of the seminar, participants made a commitment to work to restore peace and security in the country and to supporting the return to a constitutional framework as well as the organisation of democratic elections in CAR. This seminar, and the diplomatic parliamentary exchanges which it facilitated, engaged the main actors of the conflict in CAR, who committed to working together towards peace and reconciliation.
Example of activities To support the peace process in CAR, the Speakers of the parliaments of the ICGLR member countries adopted a resolution on the political, security and humanitarian situation in CAR during the 5th Ordinary Session of the Forum’s Plenary Assembly held in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2015. Through this resolution, the parliaments called on the Secretary General of the Forum to organise, in collaboration with the National Transitional Council, a capacity building Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Photo: Hon. Maya Ingold, Head of the Swiss AWEPA Section meets Hon. Prosper Higiro, Secretary General ICGLR Parliamentary Forum.
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Participants of the “High Level Seminar on Peace, Security and Sustainable Development�, held in the framework of the MDG programme in Brussels, Belgium, on 8-9 October 2015.
Millennium Development Goals
Strengthening regional parliaments towards achieving the MDGs Donor Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
Political Coordinator Hon. Holger Gustafsson, Sweden
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Wolfgang Pirklhuber, Austria
Background In 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reached their final deadline. Clearly the MDGs gave a strong drive to poverty reduction and have been described as the most successful anti-poverty movement in history. Looking at things more closely, however, results are mixed and spread very unevenly across regions and the globe. While some goals were reached, others were grossly missed.
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2015 was also the year of transition to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include a dedicated goal on good governance; SDG16 recognises the need to build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions to build peaceful and inclusive societies and achieve the 2030 Development Agenda. AWEPA’s MDG Programme, which ran from 2011-2015, focused on building the capacity of Africa’s regional parliaments to effectively play their role in achieving the development agenda.
Objectives The overall objective of the programme was to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs in Africa by supporting the capacity development of regional African parliaments. These included the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Parliament of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Parliament of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Through the MDG Programme, AWEPA sought to enable regional African parliaments to strengthen oversight, policy and legislative frameworks to achieve the MDGs. The programme reinforced parliamentary South-South and North-South parliamentary dialogue, peer exchange and networking, and amplified the parliamentary voice in international fora. The programme also promoted a better understanding among parliamentarians from Africa and Europe of key development challenges, from poverty reduction to climate change, security and international migration.
Example of activities The five-year MDG programme was fully implemented and completed in 2015. Activities were successfully realised with all five partnering regional African parliaments. These included, among others, support to SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Committee on Gender; a Central African parliamentary diplomacy visit to DRC on the drying-up of Lake Chad; the setting of the foundations of a West African parliamentary network on peace and security; and several activities on the transition from MDGs to SDGs. A particularly Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
noteworthy event was the high-level international seminar hosted by the Senate of Belgium on ‘Peace, Security and Sustainable Development’. Parliamentarians from all over Africa and Europe gathered to jointly analyse the root causes and consequences of violent extremism and terrorisms and agree on practical steps to tackle these challenges. The overwhelming message of this conference was that a hard security response is not only insufficient to defeat terrorism, but may be counter-productive unless accompanied by policies and actions that build inclusive societies and ensure that no one feels that they are a second class citizen.
Impacts The main achievements of 2015 included the strengthened institutional capacity of regional parliamentary bodies, as highlighted by: •
Dialogue between Europe and Africa on peace and security, with parliamentarians affirming their belief in the importance of building inclusive societies;
•
A strengthened SADC Parliamentary Forum with standing committees organising meetings separate to the plenary;
•
Platforms for dialogue and contact created between the PAP and Africa’s regional and national parliaments;
•
Further strengthening of the ECOWAS Parliament in its ability to take the lead and coordinate on matters of peace and security in West Africa by agreeing upon key documents for the establishment of an InterParliamentary Network on Peace and Security in West Africa;
•
Increased knowledge of EALA MPs on MDG progress in EAC, the post 2015 agenda and the relevance of the General Purposes Committee;
•
Continued focus on the depletion of the waters of the Lake Chad basin as a priority area of intervention for the Parliament of CEMAC.
The main challenge of 2015 was the transition from the MDGs to the SDGs with the need to bring parliamentarians quickly up to speed on the post-2015 development paradigm and how this impacts their role at the national and regional level.
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Strengthening democratic institutions in Mozambique
Sustaining natural resources for inclusive growth Donor Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. Bodil Valero, MEP
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. María Antonia Avilés Perea, Spain
Background AWEPA has been supporting the democratic process in Mozambique since 1992, when the organisation first established a partnership with the Mozambique Parliament. Following the signing of the Rome Peace Agreement, AWEPA shifted its focus to capacity building programmes for elected organs, ranging from the National Assembly to the newly established provincial assemblies, municipalities and political parties with one or more seats in the Parliament. This shift started with the implementation of major civic education programmes and election observation projects. In 2013, AWEPA began to implement its current three-year programme funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs entitled “Towards Sustainable Natural Resource Management for Inclusive Growth - Parliamentary Capacity Building”. In 2015, the new Government and Parliament were inaugurated following the general elections (presidential, legislative and provincial elections). The Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies received new members from the Frelimo, Renamo and MDM parties. AWEPA organised a number of introductory seminars for parliamentarians, which Page 32
focused on recently approved laws on natural resources such as the Petroleum Law.
Objectives The main aim of the “Towards Sustainable Natural Resource Management for Inclusive Growth” programme is to engage elected officials at the national, provincial, and municipal levels in oversight of the ways in which the extractive process is managed in Mozambique. The project is based upon the principle that citizens should be left with a net benefit from the extractive processes underway; that the government must assure such benefits; and that extractive industry must be compelled to comply with national and international regulations on this issue.
Type of activities In 2015, AWEPA facilitated several public hearings at the local level with the municipalities and provincial assemblies. An emphasis was placed on training parliamentary staff on natural resources, with a focus on the extractive industry. Efforts were also made to bring together and establish coordination mechanisms among elected organs. This was achieved through the facilitation of consultation meetings at three levels, namely Parliament, Provincial Assemblies and Municipal Assemblies, with the engagement of civil society organisations. AWEPA also organised evaluation seminars with the Parliament and elected members of provincial and municipal assemblies.
Impacts The main outcomes so far of the work carried out under the Natural Resource Management programme is the approval of the new Petroleum Law (Law 21/2014), on 18 August 2014, which includes long-awaited amendments in this area. AWEPA contributed to the approval of these legislative amendments by informing the MPs about concepts relating to natural resources, with an emphasis on the extractive industry (through the National Assembly Introductory Workshop); and by holding discussions with MPs and experts from Mozambique and Norway on petroleum management, the Petroleum and Mines Legislation and environmental consequences. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
A woman tends to her market stall in Maputo. AWEPA’s programme in Mozambique aims to ensure that the net benefit of the extractive industry reaches all citizens. Photo: Iam/Flickr.
RFPAC brings together women parliamentarians from across Central Africa to reflect on the challenges they face and formulate ways to tackle these challenges.
Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa Empowering women in parliament Donor Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Ms. Magda De Meyer, Belgium
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Els Van Hoof, Belgium
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Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Background In the early 2000s, AWEPA facilitated the organisation of a number of meetings for women parliamentarians. As a result, the women parliamentarians of Central Africa gradually increased their cooperation and, in March 2002, created the Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa (RFPAC), an all-women parliamentary platform. RFPAC, whose activities are facilitated by both its member parliaments and AWEPA, is an all-women group of parliamentarians delegated by their respective institutions. The member countries of RFPAC are Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Chad. The RFPAC statutes assimilate a number of key declarations including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
Objectives RFPAC strives to empower women and improve their access to positions of responsibility. To this end, the network carries out in-depth reflection on the challenges faced by women politicians and the steps necessary to tackle these challenges with the objective of helping women in general – and women parliamentarians in particular – to contribute to the development of their society.
against women and the protection of vulnerable women. This topic was chosen in response to statistics showing that 16 million girls aged between 15 and 19, and almost one million girls aged 14 or less, give birth every year. The majority of these girls live in Africa, in low- and middle-income countries. During the conference, the women parliamentarians of RFPAC made a list of recommendations in order to prevent child marriage and early pregnancies in their respective countries. The recommendations comprised legislative measures (laws that guarantee 18 as the minimum legal age of marriage for both boys and girls), as well as implementation strategies (national monitoring, raising awareness) and plans regarding the allocation of appropriate technical, financial and human resources
Impacts The conference was attended by the Gabonese authorities as a result of significant efforts to reach all sectors of the Gabonese population. In addition, the delegates from the other member parliaments passed on the strong recommendations adopted regarding legal harmonisation on their return to the countries whose parliaments are members of RFPAC. The Gabonese Ministers present made a commitment to work with other parliamentarians to ensure that the Gabonese law contributes to the fight against violence against women and to the protection of vulnerable women.
RFPAC’s specific objectives for 2015 included: •
To engage women parliamentarians in talks on the research into the causes of south-south and southnorth migration;
•
To highlight the key aspects of effective legislation to protect women and girls against child marriage and its consequences.
Example of activities During 2015, RFPAC and AWEPA worked together to organise a conference on role of parliamentarians in fighting violence Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Ms. Magda De Meyer (right) and Hon. Els Van Hoof (second from left) with the former and current presidents of RFPAC. Page 35
South African Provincial Legislatures
Enhancing the effectiveness of provincial parliaments Donor Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Belgian Embassy Flemish Representation
Political Coordinator
Hon. Johan Verstreken, Flanders
Elections, South Africa, 1994. Photo: AWEPA Archive.
Background While South Africa continues to maintain its position as Africa’s strongest constitutional democracy and is home to a vibrant parliament, there have been increasingly vocal and sustained criticisms claiming that the Executive is not being held to account within the national and provincial parliaments. Opposition members, civil society and the private sector have also criticised the ruling African National Congress (ANC) regarding social, economic and political challenges - including student protests, mining disinvestments, corruption scandals and the fall of the South African rand - arguing that constitutional democracy is being undermined. The 2016 local government elections will be a test of how firmly the ruling party’s grip on the electorate remains, ahead of the 2018 elections.
Objectives In 2015, the SAPL targeted the nine provincial parliaments’ capacities in budget oversight, gender and public consultation with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of their work.
Example of activities The activities implemented throughout 2015 included the strengthening of existing women’s caucuses in three provincial legislatures and the re-establishment of women’s caucuses in three provinces through a training and dialogue session that provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge and lessons as well as developing strategies towards the advancement of women’s rights.
Further, training was held for senior accounts staff to increase their capacity to track and process expenditure as well as to provide correct data to MPs, following the failure of most legislatures to receive clean audits from the Auditor General.
Impacts Throughout 2015, 102 MPs and 34 members of staff received training. Outcomes from the work with the women’s caucuses included a technical report on the state of the provincial women’s caucuses. This included a capacity assessment that will form the basis for future training activities and serve as a lobbying tool to influence Provincial Speakers to institutionalise the caucuses. In Limpopo, input from the Office of the Auditor General and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) provided impetus for the formulation of a strategy to make public participation more functional, systematic and meaningful, particularly in view of the violent civil unrest in the province over poor service delivery. Further, following the training for accounting staff, Limpopo received a clean audit. Research staff participating in the seminar on gender and public consultation have since initiated direct contact with each other for the purposes of knowledge sharing on best practices and exchanges during public consultation processes.
The programme further facilitated open dialogue and capacity development for the Limpopo Speakers’ Forum Annual Meeting on the functioning and effectiveness of the Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs) and, in Mpumalanga, on best practices in knowledge management, particularly with regards to the timeliness, quality and quantity of financial reports and data. Additionally, a training workshop was held for parliamentary whips from six provincial legislatures on their roles, duties and responsibilities. Work with staff included a lesson-learning/sharing and capacity building seminar on gender and public participation wards ensuring women’s views are gathered in public consultation processes and that there is a chain of feedback. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Participants of the AWEPA training workshop for parliamentary researchers on 4-5 August 2015.
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Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia Building a Somalia founded on good governance Donors Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs European Commission (represented by the Delegation of the European Commission in Kenya)
Political Coordinator Mr. Cees Bremmer, the Netherlands
The AWEPA Somalia Programme strives to empower women parliamentarians to champion gender-equality issues. Photo: Frank Keillor/Flickr.
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Background AWEPA has been involved in the capacity building of Somalia’s legislative institutions since 2002, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Speaker of the National Transitional Parliament. In 2006 and 2007, the programme was extended to the regional Parliaments of Somaliland and Puntland, respectively. The current programme with the Federal Parliament (the House of the People) was initiated through an MoU signed with the Speaker in August 2012. Throughout 2015, AWEPA’s programme in Somalia centred around the overall mission to improve human security, strengthen the state of law and decrease structural poverty in Somalia, through participatory leadership, good governance, accountability and improved service delivery by effective legislatures.
Objectives In 2015, AWEPA’s activities served the specific objective of assisting the legislative entities concerned (House of the People, Federal Parliament, Houses of Assembly in Somaliland and Parliament of Puntland) to further develop their capacity to respond to the challenges they face in performing their legislative, oversight and representative functions. The programme’s specific objectives also include the constitutional duty of building a new Somalia founded on the principles of good governance. The programme focuses on building the capacities of parliamentary officials and staff; strengthening parliamentary administrative structures and systems; enhancing the effectiveness of the committee system and operations; supporting parliamentary public outreach and oversight; strengthening compliance to legislative procedures and practices; providing direct technical support to the Speaker of the Federal Parliament; and empowering women parliamentarians to champion gender-equality issues.
Example of activities Activities implemented during 2015 include: •
Training,
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
provided
to
parliamentarians
parliamentary staff, in committee systems and operations, the budget process, the legislative process, and effective parliamentary outreach and oversight: •
Training, provided to parliamentary staff, in plenary and committee operations, minute-taking and report writing;
•
Training in library, records and archiving management for Archives Department staff;
•
Training in information and communication technologies and language proficiency skills;
•
Training, provided to women parliamentarians, in gender-awareness and empowerment, leadership and confidence-building skills;
•
Financial support, provided to staff wishing to upgrade their academic qualifications through university education;
•
Drafting of technical papers, such as private members’ bills, motions and resolutions;
•
Construction of a Resource Centre (Parliamentary Corridor) where members of both chambers of the Somaliland Parliament can meet and discuss matters of mutual benefit and lobby for certain leadership concerns.
Impacts The activities implemented in 2015 continued to contribute to the following general results areas: •
Increase in knowledge and skills amongst the Members and Staff of the House of Elders and the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Somaliland and the House of the People of the National Federal Parliament (NFP) with a view to performing their legislative, oversight and representation responsibilities;
•
Increase in oversight exercised by the NFP and the Parliaments of Somaliland and Puntland over their respective governments. As a consequence, these governments are increasingly accountable to their citizens;
•
Ability of citizens of Somaliland, Puntland and SouthCentral Somalia to influence the way they are represented through access to information and consultation.
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In January and February 2015, AWEPA organised outreaches to various counties on girl child education and conflict resolution.
South Sudan’s Legislative Assembly and Local Councils Addressing priority issues through training and outreach Donor Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Political Coordinators Mr. Johan Van Hecke, Belgium (living in Uganda) Mr. Henk Jan Ormel, the Netherlands
Background On 1 July 2012, AWEPA embarked on the implementation of a new programme to strengthen the capacity of the 10 local councils in Western and Central Equatoria States as well as the National Legislative Assembly. An additional three counties in Western Equatoria State – namely Ezo, Nagero and Tambura - were added to the programme’s scope.
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Objectives The South Sudan Programme’s main objective is to improve human security, strengthen the state of law and decrease structural poverty through participatory leadership, good governance, accountability and improved service delivery by effective legislature in South Sudan. The programme and its activities serve the specific objective of improving the capacity of local councils in Western and Central Equatoria States on the one hand, and the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan on the other, to respond to the challenges they face in the discharge of their legislative, oversight and representative functions. The programme includes the Councils of Yambio, Nzara, Ibba, Maridi, Mundri West , Mundri East, Ovolo, Ezo, Nagero and Tombura in Western Equatoria State, and Yei, Juba and Lainya in Central Equatoria State.
Example of activities Activities implemented through the AWEPA programme in South Sudan include: •
The development of a training module on conflict sensitivity and awareness, which was used to train 26 local council staff as local trainers, as well as 350 Councillors;
•
A training of trainers (ToT) for six local trainers from the councils of Ezo, Nagero and Tambura on “Public Financial Management and Development” and “Gender in the Local Councils”. This was accompanied by training for 70 Councillors of Ezo and Tambura on gender;
•
Six community outreach visits for Councillors of the Juba, Yei, Lainya, Yambio, Nzara, and Ibba counties. These outreach visits covered topics including girl child education and school dropout rates; health and sanitation; the protection and preservation of natural resources and the environment; peace and reconciliation among communities; HIV/AIDS prevention; and gender.
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Challenges The insecurity in Western and Central Equatoria States in 2015 made it difficult to carry out activities. Armed robberies and attacks on civilians by unknown gunmen and the subsequent emergence of members of the armed local youth known as the Arrow Boys made travel by the road to implement activities impossible. In addition, local airlines services from Juba to Western Equatoria State are not reliable and hence affected the implementation of AWEPA programmed activities.
Impacts The activities organised in the framework of the AWEPA South Sudan programme had a number of impacts, especially in their function of promoting information sharing and exchange, raising awareness and setting the stage for action and changes in perceptions. For example, the training workshop on Conflict Sensitivity and Awareness equipped county councillors with the knowledge, mapping tools and approaches to advocate for a stable, peaceful and united country. It is envisaged that they will be able to use this knowledge to positively impact on conflict in challenging situations, ultimately contributing to stability and the harmonious co-existence of all communities in South Sudan. Similarly, as well as fostering valuable interaction between local councillors and the community, the outreach visits on child marriage sensitised local participants to the importance of girl child education and aimed to contribute to a gradual change in perceptions surrounding child marriage among the local population. The outreach visits on conflict resolution and peacemaking offered the community a forum to identify some of the issues which tend to drag them into conflict, and paved the way for the community leaders to devise strategies to address the root cause of conflict.
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Partnership Council
The AWEPA Partnership Council is an organ consisting of members of the AWEPA Eminent Advisory Board, AWEPA’s main African partners and the AWEPA Executive Committee. It is jointly chaired by the Chair of the Eminent Advisory Board, Ms. Graça Machel and AWEPA’s President, Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet. The Council aims to convene once a year to discuss issues of a strategic and visionary nature. This meeting brings together European and African stakeholders in a mutual exchange surrounding issues concerning all involved in the collective endeavour to improve human rights in Africa. Pan-African Parliament (PAP) The PAP was established as an organ the African Union (AU) in order to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the development and economic integration of the continent. The Pan-African parliamentarians represent all the peoples of Africa. The ultimate aim of the PAP is to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage. The new protocol granting these powers has been adopted by the African Union and is currently under ratification by member states.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA)
As an organ of the East African Committee (EAC), EALA aims to legislate, perform oversight and represent the people of East Africa in a bid to foster economic, social, cultural and political integration. The Assembly is committed to fostering the following core values in its operations: effectiveness, ethics and integrity; transparency and accountability; objectivity and impartiality; professionalism and team work; unity in diversity; and allegiance to EAC ideals.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament
ECOWAS Parliament is a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of the peoples of West Africa and aims to promote integration. It provides advisory opinions on issues covering a wide range of areas that are of crucial importance to the integration process. These include respect for human rights, the interconnection of communication and telecommunication links, health, education, and the revision of basic community texts.
Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) Parliament
The CEMAC Parliament facilitates free exchange and movement across borders for the development and the infrastructural and economic integration of the region. It was officially inaugurated in 2010 in Malabo after a ten-year transition phase to sensitise local populations to democratic processes. The Parliament comprises 30 members from six countries, namely Chad, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo. Its mission is to promote the harmonious development of member states through the establishment of a true common market.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum
The SADC Parliamentary Forum is a delivery-focused, people-centred institution that accelerates and promotes parliamentary participation in regional decision-making for the benefit of the citizens of the SADC region. The Parliamentary Forum’s mission is to facilitate strategic partnerships within SADC, promote information sharing, initiate and implement projects that enhance regional integration and promote effective and professional parliamentary practice.
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA)
The core mandate of the NEPAD Agency is to coordinate the implementation of projects and programmes of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). This includes mobilising technical and financial support; promoting the programme in Africa and internationally; liaising with development partners; mobilising private sector participation; ; and monitoring and reporting on progress. The NEPAD Agency has been charged by the Heads of State and Government with facilitating the implementation of the NEPAD vision, and adds value to Africa’s development process.
Network of African Parliamentarians (NAP)
With a membership of engaged parliamentarians across Africa, the NAP is a unique initiative which meets to report back on NEPAD parliamentary actions in regional and national parliaments, and which keeps members informed about NEPAD and development issues through regular information bulletins. Having recognised that the NEPAD objectives could not be met without the effective use and delivery of aid, the NAP has broadened its focus to include issues of aid and development effectiveness. Page 42
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Eminent Advisory Board AWEPA is guided by the constructive and inspiring advice of the Eminent Advisory Board. This Board aims to meet annually to discuss the AWEPA’s policy and programmes and make suggestions for future priorities regarding developments in Africa. The board members are appointed for an indefinite period. Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Honorary Chair)
A theologian and educator, Archbishop Desmond Tutu has served as Archbishop of Cape Town and Head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Tutu received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for the role he played as a pioneer of peaceful resistance methods in the struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa. He now plays a leading role in The Elders: an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity.
Ms. Graça Machel (Chair)
Ms. Graça Machel, founder of the Graça Machel Trust, is a renowned international advocate for women’s and children’s rights. Following the independence struggle, Ms. Machel was Education Minister of Mozambique. She currently serves in various capacities in several organisations, among them the Elders, and the Africa Progress Panel, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocates. She is Chair of the Board of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes.
Prof. Ruth Oniang’o
As a former Member of the Kenyan Parliament and a food and nutrition scientist, Professor Ruth Oniang’o is committed to reducing poverty and hunger in Africa through her work with various development agencies. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Rural Outreach Africa and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Development (AJFAND). She is the recipient of many awards including the 2014 Distinguished Service Award for her influence on the development of nutrition training and agricultural research and development throughout Africa.
Ms. Mary Robinson
Ms. Mary Robinson was a member of the Irish Parliament from 1969 to 1989 and became a member of AWEPA in the 1980s. She was elected as the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002). Currently, Ms. Robinson is Honorary President of Oxfam International and a member of the Elders, among other organisations. A human rights advocate, she established the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice in Dublin.
His Excellency Mohamed A. Sahnoun
H.E. Mohamed Sahnoun, the former Ambassador of Algeria to the United Nations, United States, France, Germany and Morocco, has a long history of humanitarian work in Africa. He has served as Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League and Director-General for the UNESCO Culture of Peace Programme. H.E. Sahnoun is also a member of the Special Advisory Group of the War-Torn Societies Project and served as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict from 1999 to 2002.
Dr. Jan Nico Scholten
Dedicated to humanitarian solidarity, Dr. Jan Nico Scholten was Mayor and Chair of a District Council before joining the Dutch Parliament (House and Senate) as well as serving as a member of the Benelux Parliament and the Assembly of the Council of Europe. In 1984 he founded what is now called AWEPA. He served as Executive and non-Executive President for AWEPA’s first 25 years. He has received awards from the United Nations, various African countries and the former Queen of the Netherlands honouring his commitment to human dignity.
Prof. Albert Tevoedjre
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Prof. Albert Tevoedjre was the Special Envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General to the Ivory Coast from 2003 to 2013. Prof. Tevoedjre also played a prominent role as Minister for Planning, Economic Rehabilitation and Employment Promotion of Benin, where he often assumed the position of “Head of Government” in the absence of the President of the Republic. A political scientist by training, Mr. Tevoedjre is the author of several publications on Africa’s political, economic and social development. He was awarded the Prix de la vie économique for his book, “Poverty, Wealth of Mankind”.
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Governing Council AWEPA’s highest policy organ is its Governing Council, comprising some 40 representatives from AWEPA’s Sections within in the national parliaments of Europe and the European Parliament. Every five years, the Governing Council elects the President of the organisation and an Executive Committee, who are accountable to this Council. The Governing Council operates as a general assembly for a five-year term and meets at least once a year. The Council determines the organisation’s overall policy and direction, and is chaired by AWEPA’s President. The Governing Council is responsible for approving the Annual and Financial reports; determining policy and procedures on AWEPA’s objectives; approving the budget for the coming year; and appointing any members of the Council who do not represent a Section. The Governing Council members are derived from its broad network of parliamentarians and former parliamentarians from across Europe. Each parliament that forms an AWEPA Section appoints a Head of Section who is the first contact point for AWEPA, and functions as their first representative on the Governing Council, unless they choose to delegate otherwise. In 2015, the AWEPA Heads of Sections were: Austria: Hon. Petra Bayr Belgium: Ms. Magda De Meyer Estonia: Hon. Mart Nutt European Parliament: Hon. Bodil Valero Finland: Hon. Jani Toivola Flanders: Hon. Johan Verstreken Greece: Mr. Theodossis Georgiou Hungary: Hon. Gàbor Harangozó Ireland: Hon. Maureen O’Sullivan Italy: Hon. Lia Quartapelle Latvia: Ms. Ingrida Circene Lithuania: Hon. Egidijus Vareikis The Netherlands: Hon. Marit Maij Poland: Hon. Tadeusz Iwiński Portugal: Hon. Fernando Mimoso Negráo Romania: Ms. Minodora Cliveti Spain: Mr. Josep Maldonado i Gili Sweden: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren Switzerland: Hon. Maja Ingold United Kingdom: Lord David Chidgey
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Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Executive Committee AWEPA’s Executive Committee is the executive board of the organisation and meets four times a year. It is elected by the Governing Council for a period of five years to prepare and execute AWEPA policy. It is composed of the President and VicePresidents of AWEPA, as well as observers. President and Chair: Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet (Belgium) Vice President: Hon. Petra Bayr (Austria) Vice-President: Hon. Alain Destexhe (Belgium) Vice-President: Hon. Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl, MEP (Europe) Vice President: Hon. Olivia Mitchell (Ireland) Vice President: Mr. Henk Jan Ormel (the Netherlands) Vice-President: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden) Vice President: Hon. Maja Ingold (Switzerland) Observer: Hon. Dr. Egidijus Vareikis (Lithuania) Observer: Hon. Prof Tadeusz Iwiński (Poland) Observer: Mr. Josep Maldonado I Gili (Spain)
The Executive Committee 2015-2019. Back row left to right: Hon. Dr. Egidijus Vareikis (observer), Hon. Alain Destexhe, Hon. Petra Bayr, Mr. Henk Jan Ormel. Front row left to right: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren, Hon. Maja Ingold, Hon. Olivia Mitchell, President Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet, Hon. Prof. Tadeusz Iwiński (observer) and Hon. Josep Maldonado i Gili (observer). Page 45 Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Staff and AWEPA Offices Management Team Mr. Theo Kralt
Finance Department Ms. Ludivine Bry
Chief Administrative Officer
Junior Project Controller
AWEPA Head Office, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ms. Sahila El Fahsi Financial Officer
Prof. Jeff Balch Director Research & Evaluation AWEPA Head Office, Amsterdam, Netherlands Ms. Kris Debref Director Bilateral Programmes AWEPA Regional Central, East and West Africa Office Ms. Kudzai Leslie Makombe Deputy Director Bilateral Programmes & Partner Relations AWEPA Regional Office, Cape Town, South Africa Ms. Marion Verweij Head of President’s Office AWEPA Head Office, Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Netherlands Project Department
Mr. Erick Hoekzema Team Coordinator / Senior Financial Reporting Officer Ms. GĂźl Mert Financial Officer Mr. Martin Smeding Senior Financial Officer Human resources
Ms. Ingrid Johansen Programme Manager Ms. Tatjana Woesthoff - van den Ham Programme Manager Coordination / Guidance & Support Mr. Nicolas van der Wilk Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Communications Department Ms. Emanuela Falzon Campbell Communications Officer
Mr. John B.K. Gathecha Senior Programme Manager Mr. Chris Kaija-Kwamya Programme Coordinator Ms. Joyce Mbatha Lucas Office Assistant Ms. Anne Nyambura Programme Manager Ms. Peninah Ogeto Head of Office / Financial and Administration Officer
Ms. Martien Meenhorst
Mali
Human Resources Officer
Mr. Antoine Brasset Programme Coordinator West Africa
Secretariat Ms. Chiara Graniero Office Support Worker Ms. Jackie Kaaria Head of Secretariat ICT Department Mr. Ronald Borggreve ICT Officer
Ms. Liselot Bloemen Programme Manager
Kenya
Belgium Mr. Patrick Mpoyi Luabeya, Programme Coordinator
Mozambique Ms. Rosita Alberto Project Officer Ms. Zaida Maria de Pena Beete Financial Officer Ms. Telma Mahiquene Programme & Administrative Assistant Ms. Alzira Muchanga Project Officer Ms. Elisa Muianga Acting Head of Office and Project Officer Ms. Amarilia Mutemba AWEPA Representative and Project Officer
Burundi Ms. Angeline Nahimana Project and Administrative Officer
DRC Ms. Gertrude Bamba Makabi Project Officer / AWEPA Representative
Regional Office, Cape Town, South Africa Mr. Siphathise Dyongo Project Assistant Ms. Chivimbiso Gava Project Officer
Staff listed in this report reflect 2016. Page 46
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Mr. John Simon Yokwe
Ms. Kristen Heim Programme Manager
Operations Support Officer
Ms. Alexandrina P. Wonani Head of Office
Tanzania (EALA)
Regional Central, East and West Africa Office
Ms. Tine Hemelings Programme Coordinator
Mr. Jackson Baa
Ms. Geraldine Rwekaza
Project Officer
Programme Assistant
Mr. Peter Elamu
Ms. Anoek van der Vinne
Administrative Officer
Programme Officer
Mr. Innocent Minega Liaison Officer Bilateral Programmes
Uganda
Mr. Moses Bainipai Oliver
Mr. Andrew Namara
Legislative Officer
Programme Manager
Mr. Umar Turyakira
Mr. Simon Jude Zikusooka
Logistics Officer
Regional Finance Officer
AWEPA has offices in Africa and Europe, with its headquarters located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A second European office is situated in Brussels, Belgium. In Africa, AWEPA operates two regional offices, located in South Africa and Uganda, and eight local offices: Benin, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, South Sudan and Tanzania.
Amsterdam Office
Brussels Office
South Africa Regional Office
Prins Hendrikkade 48 - G 1012 AC Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 20 524 5678 Fax: +31 20 622 0130
Huis der Parlementariërs Leuvenseweg 21, bur. 1310 1009 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 501 77 27 Fax: +32 2 501 78 85
16th floor Plein Park Building
Email: amsterdam@awepa.org
Email: brussels@awepa.org
69 Plein Street Cape Town, South Africa 8001 Tel: +27 21 46 21 767 Fax: +27 21 46 22 918
Email: southafrica@awepa.org
Uganda Regional Office
Benin Office
Burundi Office
(Eastern Wing) Room E-2-14 Parliament of Uganda 7178 Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256 414 254 947 Fax: + 256 414 254 947
Lot 1176 K Quartier de la Haie Vive Cotonou Benin
Vugizo Quarter Chaussée Prince Louis Rwagasore. N°1145b/A Burundi
DRC Office
Kenya Office
Mali Office
Av. de la Justice 2721 Bâtiment ABC Kinshasa/Gombe, DRC Tel: +243 81 00 44 270
Chaka Place, 2nd floor, Argwings Kodhek/Chaka Road, PO Box 1189, 00606 Nairobi, Kenya
Assemblée Nationale du Mali Bagadadji Place de la République Bamako
Email: kenya@awepa.org
Mali Email: mail@awepa.org
Mozambique Office
South Sudan
Tanzania Office (EALA)
Rua Licenciado Couthino 77 CP 2648 Maputo, Mozambique Tel: +258 2141 86 03 Fax: +258 2141 8604
South Sudan Legislative Assembly / Assemblée législative du Sud-Soudan Parliament Building, Juba Tel: + 249 129 248 218 Fax: + 249 918 689 835
EAC EALA Wing G22 EAC Close P.O Box 8064 Arusha, Tanzania Tel:+255 786 691 873 +255 754 806 923
Email: uganda@awepa.org
Email: rdc@awepa.org
Email: mozambique@awepa.org
Email: benin@awepa.org
Email: southsudan@awepa.org
Email: burundi@awepa.org
Email: tanzania@awepa.org
Financial Overview 2015 Income per Donor in â‚Ź Grants
2015
2014
Income and grants received from: ADA, Austria
150.242
85.717
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium
364.560
661.345
Flanders, Belgium
-
European Commission
559.822
DFID, United Kingdom
24.238
Irish Aid, Ireland
167.168
128.615
Luxembourg
26.584
65.379
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
2.168.636
NIMD, Netherlands
384.759
143.415
Plan Netherlands, Netherlands
118.181
41.097
Embassy Dar es Salaam, Norway
240.307
515.213
Embassy Maputo, Norway
443.999
451.119
Diakonia, Sweded
4.863
617.630
Sida, Sweden
1.309.565
SDC, Switzerland
514.514
239.234
Others (including benefits in kind)
165.814
216.575
Total
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82.837
6.643.252
1.406.684
2.272.194
1.021.960
7.907.916
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Diagram Showing Income per Donor Received in 2015
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
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Expenditures - Income and Grants Spent per Programme in â‚Ź
Grants
2015
2014
Income and grants, spent in country/programme: Development Effectiveness
230.600
214.332
Parliament of Benin
219.759
143.415
Budget Oversight and Scrutiny
24.238
-
Parliament of Burundi
78.297
155.078
Core and institutional funding
389.903
368.800
Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo
101.707
204.747
East African Legislative Assembly
757.640
799.737
Gender
144.765
105.566
Millennium Development Goals
538.549
471.673
Strengthening Democratic Institutions in Mozambique
443.999
1.088.147
Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa
56.649
114.908
Parliament of Rwanda
28.766
101.843
South Africa Provincial Legislatures
107.735
159.631
Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia
1.355.150
Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
274.851
South Sudan’s Legislative Assemblies and Local Councils
1.392.555
Strategic Partnership
165.000
Parliament of Zimbabwe Various (Including benefits in kind)
Total
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333.089
6.643.252
1.292.554 128.408 2.207.732 194.355 156.990
7.907.916
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Diagram Showing Expenditures - Income and Grants Spent per Programme in 2015
Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
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Africanisation policy During 2015, AWEPA’s internal Africanisation policy has been furthered in its Africa-based offices. Over the course of this year, AWEPA installed two regional offices to optimise programme development and implementation. These are located in Kampala, Uganda, for Central, East and West Africa, and in Cape Town, South Africa, for Southern Africa. Each office is headed by a member of the AWEPA Management Team. With the new regional offices, programme management is decentralised, closer to the countries of implementation and is expected to improve the efficiency of (financial) administration and internal control. In addition, the equipment and staffing of these regional offices is expected to greatly contribute to the extension of AWEPA’s organisational culture into the African offices. Bilateral and national parliamentary capacity-building programmes are run from the African offices and from the Brussels office. In addition, a limited number of thematic programmes are run from Amsterdam headquarters in close cooperation with the African offices, wherever relevant and possible. In most cases, headquarters plays a facilitating, advisory and supporting role with regards to finance, logistics, human resource management, communications, and programme management and reporting. This situation is partly different for programme interventions in some areas of Central and West Africa, where AWEPA does not currently have a local presence. Bilateral programme implementation is carried out completely by the African offices in Juba, Nairobi, Kampala, Bamako, Arusha, Kinshasa, Bujumbura, Maputo and Cape Town together with a Political Coordinator and Senior Parliamentary Advisor from Europe.
AWEPA has been awarded the first level of certification titled Committed to Excellence from the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model.
AWEPA is on the list of Official Development Assistance (ODA) Eligible Organisations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC).
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The annual report of AWEPA is mainly presented in a digital format, allowing us to save money and paper and making it more readily available. The annual report can be found online at www.awepa.org.
AWEPA has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Annual Report 2015 www.awepa.org
Back Photo Participants of the AWEPA High Level Seminar on “Peace, Security and Sustainable Development�, held in Brussels, Belgium on 8-9 October 2015.
AWEPA International
Prins Hendrikkade 48-G 1012AC Amsterdam, the Netherlands tel: +31 20 524 5678 fax: +31 20 622 0130
Netherlands
amsterdam@awepa.org
Mali
mali@awepa.org
Belgium
brussels@awepa.org
Mozambique
mozambique@awepa.org
Benin
benin@awepa.org
South Africa
southafrica@awepa.org
Burundi
burundi@awepa.org
South Sudan
southsudan@awepa.org
DRC
drc@awepa.org
Tanzania
tanzania@awepa.org
Kenya
kenya@awepa.org
Uganda
uganda@awepa.org
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