UCT researcher breaks new ground on state regulation of NGOs in Eastern & Southern Africa

Rel. State regulation of NGOs in Eastern & Southern Africa

Research by the University of Cape Town PhD graduate Livingstone Sewanyana, breaks new ground on state regulation of NGOs looked at from an historical, continental and global context. The thesis, Towards an Enabling NGO Regulatory Framework in Uganda: Comparative Experiences from Eastern and Southern Africa examines the development of voluntary organisations in British colonial East Africa and their fluctuating fortunes after the formerly colonised countries gained independence. This is in order to “explore the most appropriate model for the regulation of NGOs in Eastern and Southern Africa; one that enables active participation and allows for participatory democracy to thrive”, says Dr Sewanyana. According to Dr Sewanyana Participatory Democracy obligates states to promote public participation and public contestation. States must allow civic autonomy while ensuring transparency and public accountability in public governance. Domestic human rights NGOs are a recent phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa. While states tolerate them, the urge to regulate them without stifling them poses a dilemma. How to strike a balance remains a difficulty to many states, and this necessitates an in depth inquiry into the matter. Using standards set by democratic constitutionalism and international human rights instruments as the basis for critical analysis, Dr Sewanyana’s findings show that state regulation alongside self-regulation is a preferred model because it allows for full freedom of association and expands the civic space. Such a model says Dr Sewanyana “Could also be appropriate for use in other African countries”. A human rights lawyer, dedicated to promoting the respect of human rights worldwide, Dr Sewanyana’s professional life has been devoted to the cause of human rights in Africa. Most recently, his efforts saw him receive the 2013 Pan Africa Human Rights Award. Dr Sewanyana holds an LLB (Hons) from Makerere University, and an LLM, with distinction in International Human Rights Law, from Essex. Dr Sewanyana will receive his PhD during UCT’s Faculty of Law graduation ceremony on Friday, 13 June 2014, making him the first in his family to graduate at UCT and at a South African institution in general.  He is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Uganda’s leading NGO, a position he’d held since 1992. ENDS Issued by: UCT Communication and Marketing Department Mologadi Makwela Media Liaison Officer Communication and Marketing Department University of Cape Town Welgelegen, Upper Chapel Road Extension Rosebank Tel: (021) 650 5427  Fax: (021) 650 5628 Cell: (078) 258 3965(078) 258 3965 E-mail: loga.makwela@uct.ac.za Website: www.uct.ac.za  Follow us on twitter: @UCT_news

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