Taking stock and moving forward
Consolidating GCAP-Africa in 2005 & the future
Harare, November 7-10th 2005

Convened by GCAP Africa Steering Committee
and organised by Mwelekeo wa NGO (MWENGO)

For information on this workshop contact
Thomas Deve or Idaishe Chengu [email protected]

Summary
Under the auspices of a continental steering committee ([email protected]), national coalitions, regional and international organisations and networks affiliated to the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) will meet in Harare, 7-10th November 2005. Organised by Mwelekeo wa NGO, the workshop seeks to review the status of the campaign and develop ideas and plans for the next phase of the campaign beyond 2005. While funding allows for 30-40 participants to be sponsored, self-sponsored delegates are welcome to apply by writing to the organisers or the steering committee.

Background
For a variety of reasons, the year 2005 has widely been regarded as a landmark year in relation to the millennium declaration that was signed by world leaders at the turn of the millennium. The UN summit of 2005 was expected to be the unique moment at which leaders would review their achievements against the promises they had made in respect of the eradication of poverty, five years before. Progress made, as articulated by each country, would in turn give some idea regarding what needed to be done for the millennium development goals to be achieved by 2015.

Both the millennium development goals campaign and the Global Call To Action Against Poverty – have become extremely visible and valuable vehicles in the drive to not only remind world leaders of their promises, but also insist that these leaders should be openly accountable to their citizens for these promises. Over the past nine months the MDGs related campaigning efforts have placed the range issues related to the eradication of poverty squarely on the global agenda. The white band as a standard symbol associated with the call for the eradication of poverty, is gaining currency as the campaign gathers momentum with new actors continually joining the broad alliance of coalitions involved in the overall campaign, all over the world.

Status of the Campaign following the second global white band day
At the International Facilitation Group face to face meeting in Bangkok of July 2005, the question regarding the future GCAP beyond 2005 was raised. The response of those representing African coalitions (and the south membership in general) was twofold: first it was noted that poverty would take a long time to eradicate and the need to keep the pressure on political leaders remained a crucial part of the effort. Secondly, it was noted that in many countries coalitions were just about then starting up their campaign activities. In cases that had experienced a slow start, it would not make sense to close down the campaign efforts at the end of the year as some might have assumed would happen.

Overall purpose
Recalling that GCAP seeks to achieve Policy change using the collective action of coalitions to put pressure on governments and other actors in decision making positions to take concrete action to deliver on the commitments they have made to reach the Millennium Development Goals and eliminate poverty, it is clearly imperative that continents with the largest number of relatively poor communities reaffirm their resolve and further strengthen their calls for:
· Trade Justice
· Debt cancellation and
· Major increase in the quantity and quality of aid
· National efforts to eliminate poverty and reach the Millennium Development Goals that are developed and implemented in a way that is democratic, transparent and accountable to citizens

The rationale for the consultation between representatives of selected members of African GCAP campaign coalitions in Africa is to review the status of the campaign and develop ideas and plans for the next phase of the campaign beyond 2005. It is hoped that the consultation will provide an opportunity for addressing existing coordination challenges and deepening the African ownership of the campaign. The consultation will seek to address issues relating to the harmonisation of programme activities to ensure that mobilisation efforts are accorded the greatest possible support and ownership of the campaign is itself firmly consolidated at the national level in each country.

Consultation planning committee
The representatives of Africa based coalitions attending the New York Summit activities on the occasion of white band day II mandated the following to constitute the committee that will plan the consultation:
Thomas Deve/Idaishe Chengu – MWENGO; Hellen Wangusa – UN Millennium Campaign Africa; Hellen Tombo – Kenya Coalition; Wahu Kaara – AACC; Njeri Kinyoho-Mwangi – Actionaid; Justice Egware – Nigeria Coalition; Christophe Zoungrana – ANCEFA; Henri Valot – CIVICUS; Irungu Houghton – OXFAM

Objectives of consultation
By the end of the consultation, we will have;
1. Taken stock of our actions over eleven months of 2005 and collectively reviewed the effectiveness of African campaigning strategies and mechanisms used at national, regional and international levels. (1 day)
2. Reviewed the efficiency of coordination mechanisms and resources at national and continental levels and proposed suitable structure for the overall coordination of the campaign over 2005-2007 (1/2 day)
3. Reviewed current policy asks (Johannesburg) in the light of opportunities for national and continental public policy change and movement building between 2006-7 and suggested policy content for 2005-2007 and key moments for mobilisation (1 day)
4. Reaffirmed proposed campaign actions for third white band day (1/2 day)
5. Agreed on key messages for communication to the broader GCAP alliance as our contribution to the global consultative review planned for Hong Kong, December 2005 (1/2 day)

Criteria for sponsored participation
Core participants will be sponsored from active national coalition co-ordinators active in the three white bands (10-12), regional trade union, youth and women’s associations representatives (3), workshop steering committee members (8), IFG representatives (2), media experts (2), World Social Forum representative (1), evaluation consultant (1). Other organisations and networks that identify with the objectives of GCAP will be welcome on the basis of self-sponsorship.

This consultation will prioritise national coalitions in countries that been consistently involved. Representatives from Trade Unions, faith based associations, youth and women’s associations will be targeted in particular, given that they constitute a large proportion of the constituency to be reached out to in the mobilisation that will take place post-2005.

Pre-consultation review
In order to draw maximum benefit from this opportunity, it is proposed that the consultation should be preceded by a quick review of the campaign activities and achievements so far. This will include a review of the operating/coordinating framework of the campaign in Africa and how this might be improved for purposes of deepening mobilisation on the continent. The committee will develop appropriate terms of reference for the review suggested above and identify a suitable consultant to undertake the task prior to the consultation.

The meeting will also review programmes of action identified in Nairobi, Bangkok and Harare and building on the lessons learned so far, attempt to propose a broad strategy that can be used to mobilise human and financial resources necessary for the campaign to have a maximum effect in Africa over the next period of activity.

Initial listing of expected outputs
·Communique

Draft GCAP strategy for Africa 2005-2007 (to include broad objectives, broad mobilisation strategy and moments for 2006, coordination mechanism, overall budgetary needs.