On November 13, 2024, we held an important training session on Open Government, citizen participation and the concept of the Ladder of Participation.
The event brought together residents’ committees from the Mitcha, Nambambe, Tchavola, Kwaua, Bula Matady and Lalula neighborhoods, as well as the Quilemba commune.
The training, which took place in the Mitcha neighborhood, brought together the aforementioned councils and commissions and covered essential topics for strengthening community leadership and explored the different levels of participation – highlighting the challenges and limits of symbolic and decorative participation, and promoting reflection on true citizen participation. In addition, the importance of the flow of information and the return of demands sent to higher bodies, a crucial point in the local context, was discussed.
With the facilitation of Manuel das Mangas, Focal Point in Huíla, and António Neto, a technician from the Legal Office of the Lubango Municipal Administration, the participants also reviewed the attributions of the residents’ committees based on Law 7/16, expressing the need for greater access to the legal diplomas that guide their functions.
This action reinforces our commitment to empowering and giving a voice to communities, promoting participatory and inclusive governance.
