Civil society urges govt to adopt meaningful, democratic consultations
Elizabeth KheibesWindhoek
Civil society organisations are calling for a fundamental shift in how government consultations are conducted, pressing for the adoption of a “meaningful engagement” framework. This was discussed on Tuesday during a policy meeting in Windhoek, hosted by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
The concept, developed in 2022 with input from legal and policy experts, seeks to move Namibian policymaking beyond symbolic consultation toward processes that are genuinely inclusive, transparent and democratic, organisors explained.
IPPR researcher Frederico Links argued that consultations in Namibia too often fall short of inclusive standards.
“What we have, what’s called ‘consultation’ in Namibia, does not meet democratic standards for what consultation is in a democratic society,” he said. “A democratic process starts from conception, not with a draft crafted behind closed doors and then presented to the public.”
Drafts to delays
Links highlighted that a draft Government–Civil Society Partnership and Engagement Policy has been in the making for years.
Serious discussions began around 2019, only to be disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted.
A series of consultations resumed in 2023 and mid-2024, with civil society groups broadly welcoming the last draft as “making the right noises” on inclusion, participation, and transparency.
The document, however, remains in limbo.
Having passed through the National Planning Commission, it is now reportedly with the Presidency, awaiting Cabinet submission.
Principles at stake
The framework for a ‘meaningful engagement’ policy, according to Links, rests on core principles: inclusivity, transparency, accountability, reciprocity and continuity. Civil society wants these values enshrined in government practice, not just in policy language, he said.
That means ensuring consultations are accessible across regions, that draft materials are provided in advance, and that diverse stakeholders, from grassroots to corporates, can meaningfully shape outcomes.
“Attendance is not consent,” Links cautioned, criticising government’s tendency to count sign-in sheets as proof of buy-in.
“We must move to processes where participants are true decision-making partners, not passive spectators.”
Civil society organisations are calling for a fundamental shift in how government consultations are conducted, pressing for the adoption of a “meaningful engagement” framework. This was discussed on Tuesday during a policy meeting in Windhoek, hosted by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
The concept, developed in 2022 with input from legal and policy experts, seeks to move Namibian policymaking beyond symbolic consultation toward processes that are genuinely inclusive, transparent and democratic, organisors explained.
IPPR researcher Frederico Links argued that consultations in Namibia too often fall short of inclusive standards.
“What we have, what’s called ‘consultation’ in Namibia, does not meet democratic standards for what consultation is in a democratic society,” he said. “A democratic process starts from conception, not with a draft crafted behind closed doors and then presented to the public.”
Drafts to delays
Links highlighted that a draft Government–Civil Society Partnership and Engagement Policy has been in the making for years.
Serious discussions began around 2019, only to be disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted.
A series of consultations resumed in 2023 and mid-2024, with civil society groups broadly welcoming the last draft as “making the right noises” on inclusion, participation, and transparency.
The document, however, remains in limbo.
Having passed through the National Planning Commission, it is now reportedly with the Presidency, awaiting Cabinet submission.
Principles at stake
The framework for a ‘meaningful engagement’ policy, according to Links, rests on core principles: inclusivity, transparency, accountability, reciprocity and continuity. Civil society wants these values enshrined in government practice, not just in policy language, he said.
That means ensuring consultations are accessible across regions, that draft materials are provided in advance, and that diverse stakeholders, from grassroots to corporates, can meaningfully shape outcomes.
“Attendance is not consent,” Links cautioned, criticising government’s tendency to count sign-in sheets as proof of buy-in.
“We must move to processes where participants are true decision-making partners, not passive spectators.”
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