On 6 June 2024, the first session of the Coordinating Council of Mandimba district, in Niassa province, was held, organized by the MASC Foundation in partnership with the district government, as part of the Pro-Civic and Human Rights project. The event was attended by 70 people, including 42 men, 28 women and one disabled person.
The session was chaired by the Mandimba district administrator and was attended by the entire cast of the district government, as well as the mayor and his entire council team. Also present were various civil society organizations working in the district, such as CESC, CCS Progresso, Malaria Consortium, Moz Rural, as well as community-based organizations, the district platform and the forum of civil society organizations.
The main aim of the session was to promote the modernization of civic spaces and mechanisms for the active involvement of civil society in decision-making at the different levels of governance. During the session, the different action plans proposed for the year 2024 were presented and analyzed, innovations in governance processes in the most challenging sectors were discussed and the main local challenges for youth participation in drafting laws and defining their priorities were identified. In addition, the MASC Foundation's activity plan was shared with the different local players, with the aim of preparing the ground for the inclusion of the target groups in decision-making spaces.
The session was essential for bringing civil society closer to the government, and was mainly marked by presentations from civil society organizations, with the exception of the speech by the President of the City Council. This event strengthened relations between the government and civil society, demonstrating an openness to continued cooperation.
