PROBLEM STATEMENT AND SIGNIFICANCE

Problem Statement
Studies carried out in recent years highlight the fact that local communities at large are not actively involved in policy formulation, decision making or implementation processes and there is a wide gap between the duty bearers and the rights holders.

This gap between the two exists because of the fact that there are few if any apolitical organized structures in communities, which have the capacity to demand accountability from duty bearers on non-delivery or sub standard delivery of essential services, developmental promises or indeed on the ono consultative attitudes of decision makers.

Organised grassroots structures could provide credible checks and balances on non delivery of goods and services and thus further public empowerment that is necessary to engage such stakeholders in an ongoing dialogue on a level playing field.

Project Rationale

The findings from our pilot Umunthu Project, which was implemented in one district in the Southern Region (Chiradzulu) and one district in the Central Region (Ntcheu) in 2008, establish that there is remarkable determination and commitment within grassroots communities to strive for positive change in all aspects of their lives by refusing to accept the status quo. However, there are few tools to realise this aspiration. In our view, this presents a unique opportunity to transform the current near apathetic paradigm into a more proactive and participatory mindset towards actual realisation of the Right to Development as enshrined in S30 of the Constitution of Malawi by an empowerment process that cuts across economic, social, political, cultural lines.

Project Description
Project Target Area and Group

• The project will be implemented in the Phalombe district situated within the Southern Region of Malawi. This area has been selected due to the fact that IPI has, in the recent past, implemented projects such as the ‘Right to Livelihood’ project (under DCP II) with overwhelming success - thereby establishing a rapport with the authorities and the local people which would pose a significant factor in the eventual success/failure of this project.
• The project will be implemented in all the 6 main Traditional Authorities: namely Paramount Chief Nkhumba, TAs Kaduya, Jenala, Chiwalo, Nazombe and Sub TA Nkhulambe.
• Activities will primarily target the ordinary persons within the community. Chiefs would provide a logical point of entry. Other eminent persons, i.e. religious leaders, political leaders; representatives of local non governmental organizations, women and youth groups etc would be included but not allowed to dominate or control the meetings.
• Primary emphasis would be upon ordinary villagers e.g. the youth and people displaying a non-partisan activist penchant, to cohere into the requisite critical mass for the creation and operation of Umunthu Committees.

GOALS

The creation of structural mechanisms called the Umunthu Empowerment Structure (see diagram below), which would empower local communities to stake vigorous claim to fundamental human rights, such as the right to Development (RtD) – in short, the ultimate goal is a significant improvement of wellbeing at grassroots levels catalysed by the communities themselves.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the project are as follows:

• To empower people at grassroots with knowledge on governance and on how to claim human rights such as the right to development (RtD)
• To create structures that can be used to demand fulfilment of RtD by local communities;
• To build basic legal capacity locally in order to access available systems for redress for rights violated.