Projects And Activities
Partnership Investment Fund – Enhancing Organisational Capacity and Efficiency for ZCSD (On going)
The transformative partnership between Oxfam and ZCSD is rooted in the understanding that, for CSO work to be impactful there is need to explore newer ways of working that build the capacity of local actors to make decisions enabled through more flexible funding models. Therefore, ZCSD is among six partners to Oxfam SAF that are implementing a new partnership model to test what is possible and hopefully inform scale up efforts to Oxfam’s new ways if working with partners.
The two year project has ZCSD working towards being an effective player in the development circles, by strengthening its internal structures. The support under PIF will go towards ZCSD’s strengthening operational and programming systems, updating essential manuals, securing office premises, refurbishing workspaces, and facilitating staff capacity development to keep up with emerging trends.
Beyond The Budget: Making the National Budget work for the people. (On Going)
This is a ZCSD flagship initiative that seeks to contribute to Public Finance Management through participatory planning and budgeting. In the quest to actualize National Planning and Budgeting Act Number 1 of 2020’s aspirations, ZCSD innovated the BTN project to strengthen and build capacity among local actors, CSOS and citizens, to participate in national budgeting processes. The pilot project seeks to contribute towards creating spaces where citizens get involved in national budgeting processes.
ZCSD in partnership with NGOCC with Oxfam SA as lead supported by the European Union is implementing this project in 5 districts (Monze, Lusaka, Rufunsa, Mpika and Mufulira) covering 13 constituencies, while Kabwe is an auxiliary area where we are doing this work specifically at Mukobeko Maximum Correctional facility in the Female Section. For the first time community members are making parliamentary submissions and engaging with the office of the Secretary to Treasury through the established community budget groups (CBGs) which are now regularly engaging with communities to increase interest of communities in participate in the National Budged processes as provided for in the National Planning and Budget Act Number 1 of 2020. This project is fully supported by The European Union with a matching great from Oxfam Ireland who are the lead applicant with ZCSD and NGOCC as Co-Applicants.
- Scaling Up Community Voices for Social Accountability
ZCSD with support from Action Aid Zambia (AAZ) implemented a pilot project entitled “Scaling Up Community Voices for Social Accountability project”. The project aimed at “increase citizens awareness and demand for social accountability in Itezhi-tezhi”. This project was premised on the understanding that increased social accountability and demand for quality services by the citizens will result in an economically empowered communities, more equal, healthy and sustainable Zambia. Therefore, women and persons with disability mainstreaming was a strong running thread to this project implementation. Working with key duty bearers in Itezhi Tezhi, the project established Community Accountability Committees in town centre and Mbila communities which are focusing on ensuring that they participate in the decision-making processes for all projects being implemented in their communities and also hold those charged with such task accountable.
Radio programs at a local station were held and featured local people. An innovative Constituency Day was held where the MP interacted with his electorates and responded to their questions relating to development. There was demand for this work to continue in ITT. Through the research, capacity building workshops, focused group discussions, constituency day held, ZCSD has reached out to over 300, 000 people. The above result is an indication that ZCSD is making significant progress towards realization of social accountability agenda. The Project was fully funded by Action Aid Zambia with the support from SIDA. (2023) - The Workshop on Money Laundering, Terrorism financing Policy Regulations and its Effects on Civic Space”.
Focused largely on topics relevant to the NPO sector, these including an overview of the global, regional, sub-regional normative, and institutional framework for implementing AML/CFT regulations and their influence on the National laws and Policies (a case of NPOs). The workshop also Discussed the emerging FATF regulatory issues and obligations at regional and national levels; lastly, and key to this part of the training is an introduction to building collective-power for push-back against unintended consequences that affect the civic space. The project was a one o-ff activity that was fully supported by Defenders Protection Initiative (DPI) of Uganda. This activity was very key for the CSOs in Zambia as it enabled them to appreciate the what Non-Profit Organisations need to know about Anti Money Laundering and Countering Financing Terrorism (2023) - Promoting Participation of Women and Young people in Governance and elections. (Closed)
ZCSD believes that Promoting the Participation of Women and youths in Governance is strategic in responding to many of Zambia’s development challenges. Since 2020 ZCSD has partnered with the Carter Center to advocate for a more equal Zambia in which women, young people and people with disability sit at the decision making table in all spheres of life. This work strategically brought in the NGOCC, Zambia National Women’s Lobby and local CSOs as well as traditional leaders. It was implemented in four district of Zambia (Kabwe, Monze, Mufulira and Mpika). This project received support from the target beneficiaries, traditional leaders, political players, civil society organizations and community members.
Radio programs were accessed by female and youth candidates through which they advanced their campaign messages. Posters with messages of urging electorates to vote for women and youths were also produced and distributed to all participating districts. Success Stories of this project included having three women elected to serve as a councillor for Chisekese Ward in Monze District which was highly patriarchal. We also had two youths elected as councillors in Monze while on the Copperbelt province, in Lufwanyama town council, our spill-over effect saw a female elected to the position of Council Chairperson. (2022) - The lifeline Zambia Project
This project was important as it sought to engage civil society organisations to make meaningful contribution towards the development of the new NGO law which should guarantee. Among other vital activities, the project successfully analysed the 2009 NGO Act, identifying good practices and areas that needed improvement. The project also convened a range of online stakeholder consultations to present the analysis, solicited sectoral and public views on NGO regulation, and agree on key standards and best practices for an NGO law.
Other than that, the project was also convened an online regional meeting with the SADC Council of NGOs at which ZCSD and other representatives of Zambian civil society to present its work and products, and share learning and experiences with CSO representatives from other countries in the SADC region. SADC CNGO Executive director and colleagues from Uganda shared their experiences on NGO regulation and how CSOs re navigating the shrinking civic space arising from the various restrictive legislative environment across the continent. This action was fully supported by the ICNL. (2020).
A LOOK AT ZCSD WORK IN 2020
Nr | Major successes | Challenges | Priority 2021 |
1 | Increasing FATF awareness among CSOs and opening a tripartite dialogue mechanism for implementation of FATF in Zambia | Capacity related challenges. ZCSD underwent four organization capacity assessments and through these processes, the organization was able to introspect and better understand where areas for strengthening exist.
Lacked the institutional funding continued to present operational challenges fro the organization.
Lean staffing compliment was burdensome as staff had to pitch in other portfolios to get things done, certain meetings missed, while inability to better support its membership continued to present worry to the organization.
Three research studies done on the state of local CSOs, point to the glaring challenges faced by the sector and this is a push back against the Council’s vision of a vibrant civil society
| Advocacy for an Enabling Environment with open civic space |
2 | As CS-POG Secretariat, ZCSD, managed to facilitate the holding of the AGM and Elections to usher in a new Steering Committee | Strategic plan Review and holding of its elective AGM | |
3 | As an active member of the MCDSS set up TWG on the NO Act, ZCSD, continued to influence the development of an NGO law from a Human Rights based perspective | Right staffing compliment | |
4 | ZCSD has remained resolute in its goal to see an independent, vibrant and accountable CSO in Zambia | Secure new funding | |
5 | At regional level, ZCSD, participated in a number of meetings to share learning, experiences and strategies for protection of civic space, HRDs, Activists and the legitimate nativities of CSOs. We also became members of the SAHRDN, continued membership to the SADC CNGO and collaboration with the regional FATF style bodies Increasing FATF awareness among CSOs and opening a tripartite dialogue mechanism for implementation of FATF in Zambia | Systems strengthening and policy review and development (Strategic plan, Corruption vulnerability policy, Gender Policy, Procurement Policy) | |
6 | At international level, ZCSD, continued its membership to various bodies as an active member of Forus, Civicus, Vuka! Alliance and ICSW. Through this networking, ZCSD participated in the UN high level political forum during which Zambia was undergoing a Voluntary National Review on the SDGs, and presented a paper on enabling environment and civic space with special focus on the NGO Act and the Impact of Covid-19 on CSOs alongside the Danish Permanent Ambassador toe the United Nations and the UN CSO XXX, several solidarity initiative as a Vuka! ally in solidarity to Belarus, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Cambodia among others, various platforms looking at the situation of civic space and HRDs as well as resource mobilization in the reality of a changing donor context and the advent of the Covid-19 and ZCSD also coordinated Zambian CSOs’ input into the List of Issues Paper for the Zambian Government to respond to as the report on the nation’s implementation of the ICCPR, early next year. Other activities include coordinating members participation in the Round Table discussion with the Scottish Government as Scotland reviewed and developed a new strategy for development support to Zambia and a UK based fellow Forus member, BOND as they developed the list of priorities to present at the G7 Meeting scheduled for April 2021 to be hosted by the United Kingdoms. BOND has been nominated to coordinated CSO participation at the meeting. | Board and Staff Capacity building on NGO Management and Donor financing reporting | |
7 | Under its resource mobilization strategy, ZCSD, made significant progress engaging both former, current and new partners; – 10 local resource mobilization meetings were held and attended by a mix of staff and the board, with 2 resulting in positive outcome; – Nine (12) concept notes were written, 5 funded, 1 rejected, 2 passed to proposal writing stage and 4 awaiting responses. Of the successful ones 3 are from new partners, ICNL, Lifeline Consortium and the Carter Center |
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8 | Finally, the greatest resource that an organization can have is its human resource, and having participated in a regional workshop on leadership from a feminist model which places the well being of staff at the center of its programming and operations, ZCSD has managed to put together a lean staffing compliment that is highly motivated and energized to implement a change management system that sees a growth of self-leadership, accountability, creativity and renewed understanding of the strategic nature of CSOs, sacrifice and potential to influence a positive change that will impact positively on the most vulnerable in our society. Therefore, more was achieved with less, an appreciation of the weaknesses the organization has to address, the strengths to harness and the opportunities to explore is now the driving force for secretariat. |
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9 | The oversight role that a functioning Board plays in the affairs of an NGO, cannot be ignored, therefore ZCSD managed to hold 2 of its scheduled 4 Board meetings. The disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and financial challenges played a major role in frustrating efforts to hold all four board meetings. However, two Board executive committee meetings were held to provide guidance on urgent issues. And the icing on the cake was ZCSD resolving its issues and becoming NAPSA compliant. |
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10 | Regarding financial prudence and compliance, ZCSD, opened separate accounts for its projects for better accountability and ease of tracking resource use, a three part approval for online payments introduced, a move towards being cashless adopted and strict adherence to dealing with legally registered suppliers adopted. The organization has also invested in a financial accounting package fro the year 2021. A part time Project Accountant has also been recruited to meet the required standards of a functioning accounts department. The new staff also has controlling and internal auditing functions. |
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11 | ZCSD made considerable investment to grow its research and development department and participated in various research one by Forus that was investigating the state of its Africa CSO partners, study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and resourcing for civil society and a joint post Covid survey on operation and better resourcing options for CSO work. ZCSD also partnered with CIDT, a research department, at Wolverhampton University in the UK as the Lead, and won a bid to undertake a UNICEF situation analysis of the status and well-being of women and girls in Zambia. |
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12 | As a good networking organization ZCSD continued its active support to allies such as the NGOCC in their priority focus for the elections next year, active partcipation in the CSO Debt Alliance, CiSCA, CS-POG, ZTP, HRDDN and the TWG on the NGO Act. |
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