Fourth Quarter Bulletin 2023: The Importance of Citizen Participation

There are articles in this edition which emphasise the importance of the work civil society does, as CSOs engage with government as partners in development and encourage citizens to do the same. Civil society has a significant role to play in helping citizens be more aware of their ability (and duty) to dialogue with the government about such crucial matters as the national budget allocation, the state of local government, and the administration of the Constituency Development Fund. An important aspect of citizen participation in democratic processes is the representation of marginal voices. The perspectives of women and youth need to be expressed and valued. However, perceptions of women in society may work to diminish their role in governance positions, and could tragically result in their contribution to the democratic conversation being minimized. Additionally, considering that youth constitute over a third of Zambia’s population, the dialogue with youth perspectives remains a crucial ingredient to a healthy and truly representative democracy in Zambia. This Bulletin shares an article which promotes the successful integration of the insights which women and youths can bring to our public debates.