UntitledBackground
In the years since independence, Namibia has made significant strides in establishing and consolidating democratic institutions and processes in the country's public sector. Parliament better reflects its representative role and has developed structures to respond to citizens' concerns. Increased interaction is evident between parliamentary committees and the executive branch and MPs regularly participate in debates that take into account the interests of Namibian citizens. Parliament has become increasingly independent and members of parliament regularly participate in debates that take into account citizens' interests in public policy issues. National reconciliation, land redistribution, employment creation, affirmative action, HIV/AIDS, and economic redistribution are the principal issues that need to be resolved.
NDI in Namibia
Over the course of 14 years, the National Assembly, the National Council and NDI worked together to strengthen the institutional capacity of parliament. The primary objectives of the program were to promote accountability of elected officials, create transparency in the legislative process, and increase citizen access to the decision-making process. The overall approach of the Namibian program was two-pronged: one, to strengthen the institutional capacity within Parliament in order to increase its ability to function as an independent branch of government; and two, to expand the role of civil society organizations and the media in the legislative process. Because the two approaches are complementary, they were integrated components in program activities.
Past Program Overview
NDI activities in Namibia were designed to support and sustain the increased institutional capacity of parliament, with a particular emphasis on strengthening constituency outreach by working with parliamentary committees, civil society organizations, and elected representatives of regional and local government. The Institute conducted legislative skills and management training programs, and implemented nationwide programs for civil society groups to increase their ability to participate in the decision-making process.
Parliament
Realizing that Information Technology could be an effective way to increase citizen participation, enhance constituency outreach, and develop the professional skills of MPs and staff, NDI assisted parliament in developing an Internet-based Information Management System (IMS). NDI provided training to MPs, staff, regional councilors, and regional governors to increase their IT skills. Training was also provided to ensure that the system was well-maintained and information well-managed. The Parliament IMS has four major components: A public website; a public discussion forum; a MP Intranet; and a staff Intranet. Citizens can visit the public website to learn about draft legislation, committee reports, minutes, and publications. At the click of a mouse, any member of the public can submit views on a pending bill. The public discussion forum is designed to promote dialogue and public participation in policy-making. It also helps individuals and civic organizations to engage in discussions with elected representatives on legislation, policy matters, and public issues. On the MP Intranet, a secure site linked to the public website, members of parliament can discuss issues, access minutes, reports, notices and other documents instantly. The staff Intranet provides efficient and cost effective support to parliamentarians and the public.
Constituency Outreach
Demonstrating its commitment to citizen participation in the legislative process, the Namibian government provided funds to procure a bus equipped with 11 computers that travels to each of Namibia's 13 regions. An NDI team travelled on the bus to the regions, training citizens and regional officials to use the Internet. Training focused on developing the skills needed to research policy and legislative information, using the public websites at parliament and the government ministry that oversees regional issues. To complement the training on the bus, NDI developed a constituency outreach handbook that serves as an important resource material for elected representatives and civic organizations.
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's work in Southern and East Africa, please contact:
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