The Role of Civil Society in South Africa's Peer Review Mechanism
The Role of Civil Society in South Africa's Peer Review Mechanism

Author:

Publisher:

Published:

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

However, the role of civil society is particularly crucial because the sector has the necessary critical attitude and, most importantly, the capacity to engage with government The concern around the role of civil society in South Africa's peer review mechanism emerges within the broader question of how civil society should relate to government: both here in South Africa and elsewhere. [...] Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (the MOU) on the APRM also agreed to "ensure the participation of all the stakeholders in the development of the national Programme of Action including trade unions, women, youth, civil society, private sector, rural communities and professional associations". [...] The process The process of reviewing South Africa's progress according to the four thematic areas of the APRM (listed above) is supposed to lead to the final document to be adopted as the Country Self Assessment Report. [...] Beyond providing technical assistance in summarizing submissions forwarded to the National APRM Secretariat, TSAs implicitly carried out a monitoring role in the review process in the sense that their involvement potentially ensured that the voices and concerns raised in the submissions formed part of the Technical Report and were fully discussed at the consultative seminars. [...] The role of Parliament as a monitoring body was one of the issues highlighted in the review process both in the Technical Report and in discussions at the consultative seminars.

Democracy and Political Governance in South Africa
Democracy and Political Governance in South Africa

Author: Isioma Ile

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-11-02

Total Pages: 209

ISBN-13: 3031163133

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book presents a holistic perspective and analysis of democratic practice, processes, and governance in South Africa. It examines the development in the South African governing system and its response to the challenges of the crisis of governance under the influence of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). While doing so, the book's central objective is to examine the progress of the South African government in strengthening democracy and political governance. Each of the contributions follows a similar structure and addresses the following thematic issues: (1) Assessment of the implementation of the core APRM-related programs; (2) Identification of areas of excellence and prognosis for further improvement; (3) Identification of the weak areas of each and how to make the future implementation better, (4) Identification areas to improve democracy and political governance. A self-assessment strategy initiated by the African Union (AU) in 2002 and adopted in 2003, the APRM is a voluntary mechanism adopted by countries in the African continent to improve governance in general. As a specialized AU agency, APRM monitors the peer review activities of each African country. It serves as a tool for sharing experiences, reinforcing best practices, identifying deficiencies, and assessing capacity-building needs to foster policies, standards, and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development, and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration. This book will be useful for and appeal to scholars and researchers in political science, public administration, and the social sciences in general, as well as policy-makers interested in a better understanding of democratic practice and processes, governance, public policy, and the African Peer Review Mechanism.

Making the News
Making the News

Author: Brendan Boyle

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 9

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For a system like the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) -- that seeks to foster better governance and include the population in diagnosing problems and proposing remedies -- the involvement of journalists and their publications and media houses is essential. Newspapers, radio and television channels are frequently tasked with popularising this novel but complex process to the people. And citizens can only meaningfully participate if they know enough about what the APRM is and what it is trying to achieve. This paper reflects on why the APRM failed to capture the imagination of the public and the press, and generate a national conversation. Is it a failure of the African Union and its subsidiary organisations, or of citizens who did not seize the opportunity? Or is it the fault of the media? The answer is: all of the above. The author argues that because the process was centralised in a South African government ministry, it was inevitable that the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) would be overwhelmingly influenced by the government's analysis and views. The APRM slid off the radar screens of most media. Only the Sunday Times took the process seriously -- but when the paper published drafts of the Eminent Persons Panel's Final Report, which did not reflect the South African government's rosy view of the situation, the minister in charge accused the paper of "scurrilous lies, untruths, myths and reactionary propaganda." The author argues that the APRM has the potential to become an important vehicle for broad-based policy review and development, but has not gained that status because of the government's determination to dominate and drive the process (at least in South Africa). The author notes that governments are more likely to nurture a sustained interest in the process if it is more transparent and if they are less defensive. Merely denying the experience or perceptions of the public and civil society will not deliver a more comfortable reality. The author also offers tips to civil society looking to increase media coverage of their issues.

The African Peer Review Mechanism
The African Peer Review Mechanism

Author: Ross Herbert

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 428

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an innovative approach to improving African governance. It offers important opportunities for public dialogue but has proved politically and logistically challenging. The first in-depth study of the APRM, this ground-breaking book analyses the evolving peer review process in the first five countries. The product of a five-year research and training programme, it combines in-depth analysis of the APRM rules with an insightful evaluation of the political and social dynamics. Drawing on extensive interviews across the continent, it offers sounds recommendations to strengthen the process and deepen public participation. An invaluable resource for civil society and governments, this volume includes an interactive APRM Toolkit CD-ROM with the official APRM guidelines, final country reports, survey instruments, academic papers, video testimonials and a comprehensive collection of the governance codes and standards embraced by the APRM."--Back cover.

The African Peer Review Mechanism: A Beneficiary Driven Process
The African Peer Review Mechanism: A Beneficiary Driven Process

Author: Lucas Nkosana Sibuyi

Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing

Published: 2015-11-17

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13: 9783659791918

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

South Africa is one of the countries which acceded to the APRM in 2003. Accordingly, South Africa appointed a National Governing Council (NGC) under the chairpersonship of the Minister of Public Services and Administration as the focal point to develop a strategy to manage the national APRM process. The NGC was constituted of business, the disabled, civil society, churches, trade unions, government and women's coalitions thus ensuring all relevant stakeholders are represented. As part of South Africa's country assessment, questionnaires dealing with the four core thematic areas of the APRM were sent through to the public by community development workers. The four thematic areas are democracy and good political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development. In addition, four technical assessment agencies were appointed to assist in conducting research on the four thematic areas. The primary objective of this study is to examine the theoretical approach to the study and the African Peer Review Mechanism's contemporary relevance to South Africa, its intended beneficiaries and an assessment of South Africa for the period 2006.