81224060-Civil society participation in governance reform and poverty reduction Zambia

Zambia's overall political situation has become less stable and less open. Political tensions between the government and opposition parties have been sharply on the rise. The increasingly strained relations between government and opposition parties have had negative effects on the state of civil and political freedom in Zambia. Civil society is challenged with regard to financial resources, but also with regard to organizational capacity or effective evidence-based advocacy. This is particularly true for local civil society on a sub-national level. However, while they are often less organized than Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on a national level, they often have more space to engage in political decision-making processes. The support to local civil society is key to strengthen political participation not only at the national but also at the local level and to increase awareness about fundamental rights and freedoms among the local population.