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FAQ's
How does Idasa define democracy?
Talking about democracy is a conversation about elections, civil and political rights, representative and responsive institutions, active citizenship, socio-economic rights and outcomes.
Democracy and governance means different things to different people, varying between ‘thin’ understandings of governance, which focus on state institutions, and ‘thicker’ ones that incorporate a wider slate of non-state actors and drivers of socio-economic progress or decline.
The Idasa Democracy Index includes the following issues:
- Consensus on and participation in popular self-government;
- Popular selection of decision-makers;
- Popular control over decision-makers;
- Protecting citizens’ equality;
- Economic and social justice
In terms of defining democratic governance, Idasa believes that we need to always be learning and innovating and we are constantly grappling with these questions, posed by our Executive Director:
- Is there a developmental pre-condition for democratic “take-off”?
- Are socio-economic rights a necessary foundation for sustaining democracy?
- Does democracy produce socio-economic development?
Country Work
Featured Book
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Seeds for Growth: Financing smallholder farming in southern Africa
[Books]22-Sep-2011Between 250 and 300 million Africans suffer from hunger.
Themes
Idasa Blog
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Idasa responds to Land Bank announcement
19 Aug 2011The Public Expenditure and Smallholder Agriculture Project in African democracy institute, Idasa, has welcomed the Land Bank’s commitment to spend 1 billion rands on emerging farmers in the next two years as a move to unlock the long-term potential growth of agriculture as one of the pillars of South Africa’s economic development. Please read attached [...]
Highlighted Programme
Accountability (ANSA)
The Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (ANSA)-Africa is a leading African advocate of citizen involvement in demand-side governance initiatives. ANSA-Africa Secretariat is hosted by Idasa.
African Charter on Democracy
The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance was adopted by the African Union in January 2007. Idasa is working with the African Development Forum to promote the Charter which encourages sustainable democracies in Africa, and has recently launched a project to build constituencies of support for the Charter in ...
Economic Governance Programme
Idasa's Economic Governance Programme (EGP)aims to put the politics back into economics – to address the current democratic deficit in the way that decisions are made about economic policy.
Electricity Governance
Idasa leads a consortium of South African civil society organisations and research institutes in the local chapter of the Electricity Governance Initiative (EGI). The consortium aims to improve governance of the electricity sector in South Africa.
Global Transparency
Idasa’s Economic Governance Programme (EGP) is part of the Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) - a network of civil society organisations promoting openness in International Financial Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, the IMF, the European Investment Bank and Regional Development Banks.
Governance and AIDS Programme
Idasa's Governance and AIDS Programme aims to strengthen good governance to counter the effects of HIV/AIDS by instituting evidence-based advocacy, skills building and active citizenship, targeting intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) and relevant regional non-state actors.
Leadership and Democracy in Africa
iLEDA - the initiative for Leadership and Democracy - is a democracy training programme for political and citizen leaders from across Africa.
Political Governance Programme
The Political Governance Programme (PGP) aims to build and strengthen democratic institutions and relationships between elected representatives, appointed officials and citizens in order to enhance meaningful engagement between governments and citizens.
Political Information and Monitoring Service
The Political Information and Monitoring Service (PIMS) provides insights into the South African legislative process in order to promote an open and accountable executive and strong, independent parliament.
Private Funding for Political Parties
In South Africa, there is currently no regulation of private funding to political parties. What this means is that donors can give as much as they want, in secret, to the political party of their choice. This lack of regulation of party funding may allow efforts of the wealthy to ...
Right to Know campaign
The proposed Protection of Information Bill, being debated in South African parliament has generated much discussion among the public and the media, as people fear for media freedoms and their right to access information.
Safety and Security Programme
This programme aims to promote citizen safety, largely by researching and promoting crime interventions at local level.
Southern African Migration Programme
The Southern African Migration Project (SAMP) provides information regarding cross-border population migration, and promotes public awareness of the role, status and contribution of foreign immigrants of African origin in South Africa.
Special Projects
In addition to its main programme areas, Idasa also has special projects.
States in Transition
The States in Transition Observatory (SITO) facilitates understanding of challenges faced by African countries experiencing a democratic deficit, by providing analysis of political developments in countries in transition.
USA Office
"Friends of Idasa" is Idasa's US office and builds support in the United States for Idasa and its programmes. As with Idasa's other offices, our US office aims to influence the discussion surrounding democracy and governance in Africa in order to raise awareness of Idasa’s work and help to mobilize ...
Youth Zones
Youth Zones is a project that uses soccer to make a difference in the lives of young people living in vulnerable communities in Southern Africa
