The Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) are implementing a project
entitled Strengthening Democratic Participation - Namibia Needs Me (NNM). Spanning a 33-month period starting September 2023, the project is dedicated to
enhancing inclusive participation in democratic processes through civic education. While most Namibians have a basic understanding of the v
alues and principles of democracy, a noticeable gap is
observed in translating this knowledge into tangible actions for exercising their rights and responsibilities as
active citizens. The project aims to raise awareness and understanding of key concepts such as good governance, democracy,
the rule of law, and human rights and the practical application of these concepts in the context of civic rights and
responsibilities. The project endeavours to enhance the advocacy skills and capacities of select groups
empowering them to engage actively and constructively within their local communities. This initiative supports the Namibian Government’s call for ‘enhanced citizen participation and engagement’ as
outlined in the Harambee Prosperity Plan II, and is in line with Vision 2030: it highlights the role that civic
participation plays to achieve national goals such as democracy and development. The NNM Project aligns with
Art. 17 of the Nambian Constitution, stating that all Namibians shall have the right to participate in peaceful
political activity. As target groups a central focus of the project is the youth demographic: secondary school learners from
numerous schools across the country will partake in civic education training sessions. Moreover, university
students from campuses across Namibia will engage in dialogue events and discussions, providing them with a
platform to engage and raise their voices. To deepen the learning experience, an intensive training week will be extended to secondary school teachers of
social studies, history, development studies, and life skills, drawn from various regions of Namibia. This training
is designed to equip them with innovative techniques for delivering civic education in an interactive and
engaging manner. Further, CSO representatives will be trained on civic education. Selected individuals from the youth and CSO participants will subsequently receive advanced training in
advocacy skills, with certain CSOs benefitting from mentoring initiatives within their respective communities. As Namibia approaches the forthcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections in 2024, followed by
Regional Council and Local Authorities elections in 2025, the multimedia campaign under the banner of Namibia
Needs Me will invite eligible voters and the wider public to embrace their civic rights and responsibilities and
actively participate in the democratic process. Additionally, an open-access virtual public platform, represented by a website, functions as a one-stop online
database. This platform is readily accessible to anyone interested in informative and educational content
pertaining to civic education in Namibia (www.namibianeedsme.org). Achieving these objectives involves an array of methodologies, including workshops, Train-the-Trainer (ToT)
sessions, mentorship programmes, dialogue events, the multimedia campaign (Namibia Needs Me), and the
creation of the open-access virtual public platform for civic education materials in Namibia. In culmination, the project comprehensively addresses a broad spectrum of society, including youth, teachers,
CSOs, and eligible voters, effectively nurturing an enriched democratic culture, heightened civic awareness, and
an elevated level of participation within Namibia.
