In the face of democratic backsliding, questionable electoral integrity, and lack of women’s inclusion in political participation, lawyers in Zambia seek assistance in strengthening their capacity to address these issues. In June 2023, ABA ROLI launched the Political Accountability and Leadership program in Zambia. The program seeks to strengthen the capacity of lawyers and CSO partners in the community to advocate for policy, legal, and democratic reforms with government entities and stakeholders to ultimately support the Zambian electoral process and increase the inclusion of women and youth in politics and elections. With the goal of developing long-term and sustainable programs and building off our recently closed program in Zambia, Promoting Constitutional and Legal Reform, ABA ROLI continues to work directly with local partner organizations in the creation and execution of strategic litigation trainings, legislative drafting workshops, legislative analysis, and mentorship programs.
Political Accountability and Leadership
In late October, ABA ROLI facilitated a training for leadership and legal officers from Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) on strategic litigation focusing on anti-corruption and transparency cases. Topics covered ranged from identification of issues, case mapping, stakeholder mapping, legal analysis, course of action, advocacy, and overall objectives of litigation. TI-Z will use strategies learned during the training to actively participate in the legal reform process by building strategic litigation cases around the training topics that will enact change. ABA ROLI meets with different local organizations under the program to provide In late October, ABA ROLI facilitated a training for leadership and legal officers from Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) on strategic litigation focusing on anti-corruption and transparency cases. Topics covered ranged from identification of issues, case mapping, stakeholder mapping, legal analysis, course of action, advocacy, and overall objectives of litigation. TI-Z will use strategies learned during the training to actively participate in the legal reform process by building strategic litigation cases around the training topics that will enact change. ABA ROLI meets with different local organizations under the program to provide technical assistance including review of legislation, case development and capacity building training sessions, as the government continues to stall legal reform efforts. Entering 2024, ABA ROLI will complete a comparative analysis of Lifestyle Audit Bills, a piece of legislation which seeks to address the use of public funds by governing the appraisal of one’s standard of living in relation to their income, both in the region and globally. The results and recommendations from the analysis will support organizations, such as TI-Z, to advocate for legislation that will create sustainable checks and balances within the government and overall promote democratic practices.