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About the African Democracy Forum Print E-mail
The African Democracy Forum (ADF), launched in Abuja, Nigeria, in October 2000, is an African regional network of democracy, human rights, and governance organizations. The ADF seeks to consolidate democracy in Africa by providing opportunities for democrats to openly express their views while also acting as a platform for mutual support and the sharing of resources. Over 160 organizations and individuals working on democracy issues in Africa currently participate in the ADF activities. The ADF provides opportunities for democrats to speak with one voice as well as a platform for mutual support and the sharing of resources. The ADF is an Africa regional network of the World Movement for Democracy (http://www.wmd.org/).

The objectives are:

  • Monitoring democracy in Africa;
  • Working to protect democrats;
  • Providing support for the development of information technology in Africa;
  • Sharing advocacy skills;
  • Training network members;
  • Establishing and maintaining dialogue with state leaders and empowering people at the grass-roots; and,
  • Encouraging civil society in countries of conflict to use the Africa Democracy Forum to seek support, especially in repressive regimes.

Constitution.  After over two years of wide consultations with ADF members, the ADF Constitution was developed and accpeted by members at the ADF meeting in April 2006.  The Constituion defines the strcture, membership, and activities of the ADF.

Text of the ADF Constitution: ADF Constitution (English), Statuts du l'ADF (français), Estatutos do ADF (português)

Leadership

The ADF is led by a Management Committee elected by ADF members. The role and responsibilities of the Management Committee include: to prioritize ADF activities; to oversee the work of the ADF Secretariat and the ADF coordinator; to provide the Secretariat and the coordinator guidance as necessary; and to assist in fundraising for ADF activities.

Management Committee:

  • Hannah Forster (Gambia) - Chair
  • Aminetou Mint El Mokhtar (Mauritania)
  • Paul Graham (South Africa) - Treasurer
  • Shukri H. Ismail (Somaliland)
  • Joao Jamel (Guinea-Bissau)
  • Maina Kiai (Kenya) - Planning Officer
  • Ernest Mpararo (DRC- Norway-based)
  • Juliet Ume-Ezeoke (Nigeria)
  • Dieudonne Zognong (Cameroon) - Secretary
The following members of the MC are ex-officio (by virtue of being African members of the World Movement for Democracy’s Steering Committee):

  • Ayo Obe (Nigeria) - ex-officio
  • Zainab Bangura (Sierra Leone) - ex-officio
  • Francesca Bomboko (DRC) - ex-officio
Secretariat
The Kenyan Human Rights Commission (KHRC) began serving as the ADF Secretariat following the Third Assembly in Durban last February. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, KHRC is a private, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization incorporated in April 1992 and operating in Kenya since September 1992 as an advocacy and monitoring organization. It was registered under the Kenyan Non-Governmental Coordination Act in January 1994. The current main objective of KHRC is to implant human rights and democratic values at the grassroots level and to mobilize grassroots human rights movements throughout Kenya. Dr. Makau Mutua is chairman of the board, and Jennifer Miano is executive director. Anthony Kuria is the ADF Coordinator, based at KHRC.

 
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