Leadership and advocacy: workshops for promoting better cooperation

In order to foster a climate favourable to accountability and joint initiatives in the public interest, CSOs, media outlets and local authorities need arenas in which to debate and consult with each other and work together. The principles of leadership are also vital tools for all those who have a role to play in good governance procedures.

Since the start of the year, teams from ECES have led a number of training courses in Antananarivo, Moramanga, Antalaha and Mahajanga aimed at teaching advocacy and leadership techniques, and have also organised a public debate focusing on the issue of "Accountability and the citizen-led control of public initiatives: what's the current situation in Madagascar?"
Around 60 participants – media outlets benefiting from the project, representatives of civil society organisations and local authorities – have received training in advocacy tools and been made more aware of the importance of consulting with local elected officials and of media tracking as a means of asking questions.

By promoting a more constructive dialogue, these initiatives will support the efforts being made by civil society to hold elected officials accountable for their actions, and will help to instil a climate in which information is easier to access and citizen-led actions are strengthened.