• Dec. 15 2021
  • Janice Scheckter

Who gets involved - insights into civic engagement in Africa

PUBLISHED BY AFRO-BAROMETER
https://afrobarometer.org/

2021
Policy papers no. 72
Carolyn Logan, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, and Kangwook Han
 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set ambitious targets for countries and societies to improve lives and livelihoods around the world. While the expectations of meeting these goals largely fall on governments, it is widely recognized that joint efforts by citizens and their governments will be needed to achieve the best outcomes. Citizen action takes place in many forms and forums, including organizing and working together on shared goals, providing mutual support and assistance, campaigning or advocating for shared needs, and engaging with governments, making demands on them, and holding them to account. While some citizens may become involved in a formal capacity, such as through paid employment in nongovernmental advocacy or service organizations and through employment with governments or other service providers, large numbers will – and must – be engaged in a voluntary capacity. Understanding the nature of this voluntary engagement is a key goal of this analysis.