The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), alongside civil society organizations, media practitioners, and development partners, participated in a stakeholders’ workshop on the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
The engagement brought together key actors including Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, Panos Institute Southern Africa, and the Chandler Foundation to deepen understanding of the OGP framework and Zambia’s ongoing efforts toward transparent and accountable governance.
The Open Government Partnership, established in 2011, is a global initiative that promotes transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and public integrity in governance systems. Zambia officially joined the partnership in December 2024 and is currently finalizing its National Action Plan (NAP), which outlines the country’s governance reform priorities.
Stakeholders at the meeting emphasized the important role of the media in strengthening democracy through informed public discourse, investigative reporting, and promoting accountability. Discussions further highlighted OGP’s core values of transparency, citizen participation, open governance, and accountability.
Among the priority areas identified under Zambia’s National Action Plan are improving access to justice, strengthening gender equality and social inclusion, enhancing transparency and integrity systems, and advancing anti-corruption reforms and open data initiatives.
Speaking during the engagements, Executive Director of Panos Institute Southern Africa, Vusumuzi Sifile, said Zambia’s admission into the OGP was significantly supported by the enactment of the Access to Information Law, which demonstrated the country’s commitment to openness and public accountability.
Mr. Sifile stressed the importance of collaboration between government institutions and civil society organizations in building public trust and confidence.
“We realized that to build confidence and trust, we needed to identify areas where government and civil society can collaborate. Anti-corruption and promoting integrity provide common ground for engagement,” he said.
He further clarified that the OGP is not a political movement, but a multi-stakeholder platform designed to strengthen democratic governance and ensure citizens actively participate in decision-making processes.
“The whole idea is to ensure that citizens understand what government is doing, while government also understands the concerns of the public and puts in place appropriate response mechanisms,” Mr. Sifile stated.
The PANOS Executive Director also underscored the importance of strong institutions and citizen participation in sustaining democratic governance, noting that leadership authority in a constitutional democracy is derived from the people.
Drawing from governance engagements he recently attended in Spain, Mr. Sifile explained that several countries have successfully established collaborative systems between governments and civil society organizations to promote inclusiveness, accountability, and transparency.
He additionally highlighted the increasing role of young people in civic engagement through digital platforms and social media, noting that the youth remain central in promoting awareness and disseminating governance information.
“Young people are very active in sharing information and engaging through online platforms. What we need now is to ensure that OGP becomes active and understood by all citizens,” he added.
On concerns surrounding governance and institutional integrity, Mr. Sifile said the OGP framework encourages evidence-based engagement, dialogue, and accountability through independent reporting mechanisms.
He warned that countries that fail to uphold transparency, civic participation, and democratic freedoms risk losing eligibility under the partnership framework.
“There are checks and balances at every point. If governments introduce laws that repress civic space or restrict civil society participation, they risk being removed from the partnership,” he said.
Meanwhile, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction reaffirmed its commitment to promoting people-centered governance, accountability, and inclusive national development through active citizen participation and co-creation processes under the OGP framework.
The discussions concluded with renewed calls for stronger civic participation, transparency in governance systems, and maintaining an open environment that supports collaboration between government, media, civil society, and citizens in Zambia’s democratic development.
Samuel Mbewe
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