African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN) Civil Society Training Workshop 17-18 April 2018 Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia WORKSHOP REPORT

This report details a civil society training workshop held on April 17-18, 2018, in Windhoek, Namibia. The event, part of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN), aimed to engage civil society in the Namibian APRM process. Organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the workshop provided guidance on the APRM's structure, the importance of early civil society submissions, and lessons from other African nations.

• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is described as a national process rather than one owned by the government, where civil society plays a critical role by providing inputs and ensuring their views are included in final reports. Stakeholders can participate by identifying national priorities, joining national self-assessment groups, engaging with review teams, assisting in implementing action items, and monitoring progress.
• For Namibian civil society to effectively influence the APRM, it is recommended that they engage early by creating a written submission of critical issues. This strategy, modeled after a 40-page submission by Zambian civil society, allows organizations to establish a strong position before the official government process begins, especially since the Namibian government has been slow to progress.
• Case studies from Lesotho and South Africa indicate that while both countries produced honest review reports, the implementation of their National Programmes of Action (NPoA) was deficient. Lesotho failed to produce a single progress report, and South Africa's three reports did not track back to its NPoA, resulting in the APRM having little impact in both nations.
• The Namibian government has confirmed that an advanced APRM mission visit from the APR Panel of Eminent Persons is planned for 2018 and has maintained its annual subscriptions to the mechanism in full and on time.
• The workshop highlighted the importance of inclusivity and size in National Governing Councils (NGC). Ghana is cited as a successful example with only seven members, whereas Nigeria's council of over 80 members was considered too large to effectively advance the process. Sierra Leone reduced its council from 35 members to improve efficiency.
• Youth engagement is identified as vital given that 70% of Africa's population is under 30. The Kenya APRM youth working group, established in 2015, is cited as a successful model that uses social media to engage on governance despite minimal resources.
• Participants identified several critical national issues for the civil society submission: land ownership and communal land use; corrupt government mass housing schemes (noting 85% of the population earns less than 5,000 Namibian dollars monthly); the lack of recognition for the informal economy; and education failures, including a reported 98% of teachers lacking proficiency in English.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2018). African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN) Civil Society Training Workshop 17-18 April 2018 Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia WORKSHOP REPORT. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ASPIN-APRM-Training-Workshop-Report-17-18-April-2018.pdf.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN) Civil Society Training Workshop 17-18 April 2018 Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia WORKSHOP REPORT. 2018. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ASPIN-APRM-Training-Workshop-Report-17-18-April-2018.pdf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN) Civil Society Training Workshop 17-18 April 2018 Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia WORKSHOP REPORT |date=2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ASPIN-APRM-Training-Workshop-Report-17-18-April-2018.pdf.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2018african, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN) Civil Society Training Workshop 17-18 April 2018 Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia WORKSHOP REPORT}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ASPIN-APRM-Training-Workshop-Report-17-18-April-2018.pdf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }