The workshop provided them better tools to facilitate their activities on the ground and strengthen their cooperation with public authorities to fostering a community sustainable development.
The workshop started on Wednesday morning, October 25th, with a presentation on the principles and fundamentals of participatory democracy and the rule of law, by Tommy Ibrahim, Executive director of Centre for accountability and rule of law. He was followed by Andrew Lavali, Director of Institute for Governance Reform, who led a presentation on local and regional authorities and their roles and responsibilities in community development.
In the afternoon, the role of Civil Society Organizations in improving democratic processes and local governance was the focus of Mrs Hadja Fofana, Gender and civic participation specialist. Then came in Gerard Guedegbe, CEO of Group Siyabonga Gold, who led the talks on the importance, meaning and scope of the political and civic participation of young people and women in the construction of local development.
The following day was dedicated to "the Socio-Economic and democratic challenges of decentralization in Sierra Leone", "developing communication strategies to increase youth and political participation", "Advocacy strategies and campaigning to foster public policies", the first one conducted by Charlie Hugues, Development and Governance consultant, and both others by the communication and politics specialist Gerard Guedegbe.
Mohamed Ganawah, researcher, lecturer and economics expert, closed the seminar with a two hours’ workshop at the end of the day, on the topic: "Democracy and economic development: How to improve youth participation in local governance in Sierra Leone?”
The 50 participants expressed their satisfaction at the end of the two-day event, a first in Liberia for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Program for Political Dialogue in West Africa, in partnership with IGR.
