> Advocacy and Public Engagement

Advocacy and Public Engagement

What We Do

Why It’s Important

For too long, African voices have been marginalized in global and national decision-making processes. Despite being the most affected by many global challenges, including poverty, climate change, conflicts, and loss of biodiversity, Africans often have the least influence in shaping the policies that impact their lives. This disconnect exists for several reasons:

Lack of Representation: Many African voices are excluded from global governance structures, leading to decisions that do not reflect their realities, needs, or aspirations. For example, Africans have historically had limited influence in international institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and WTO, despite being deeply impacted by their policies.

Narrative Control and Power Dynamics: Much of the global discourse about Africa is shaped by external actors, reinforcing stereotypes and misconceptions that undermine the continent’s agency. This narrative control limits the ability of African countries to redefine their development priorities and promote locally-driven solutions.

 

Fragmented Advocacy Movements: Despite a rich history of social movements and political struggle, many African advocacy efforts remain fragmented, under-resourced, or disconnected from broader regional and global networks, reducing their impact and visibility.

Limited Public Participation: Many political systems across Africa are elite-driven and top-down, with limited spaces for ordinary citizens to participate in public debates, policy formulation, or decision-making. This limits the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance systems.

Information and Power Imbalances: In many cases, governments and international institutions have a monopoly on information, creating significant power imbalances that prevent communities from effectively advocating for their rights and holding duty bearers to account.

Services Offered

Why Work With Us

PCAD is uniquely positioned to support advocacy and public engagement efforts across Africa because we:

Center African Voices

We ensure that African perspectives are at the core of our advocacy efforts, challenging external narratives and promoting self-determination.

Bridge Local, Regional and Global

We connect local struggles with regional and global movements, ensuring that African voices are heard at every level of decision-making.

Focus on Systems and Structures

We understand that advocacy is not just about raising voices but about changing systems. Our work highlights power dynamics, economic structures, and political systems that shape outcomes.

Promote Collaborative Movement Building

We work with communities, civil society organizations, and grassroots movements to build strong, coordinated networks that can mobilize for change.

Foster Education and Cultural Liberation

We advocate for decolonizing education by challenging colonial curricula, promoting critical thinking, social responsibility, and a deeper understanding of African history and culture.

What We Offer

Our Offerings

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