Senators from the Senate Committee on NGOs and Diaspora and members of the House of Representatives Committee on CSOs and Development Partners, agreed on Monday, November 14, 2022, to work towards and support the revamping and establishment of a Civil Society Liaison Office (CSOLO) in the National Assembly. At the convening of CSOs and National Assembly members organised by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), with support from the European Union Agents for Citizen Driven Transformation (EU-ACT) and the British Council, it was agreed that there was an important need for a representative office for civil society organisations (CSOs) in the National Assembly to help bridge the gap and improve communications between the National Assembly and civil society.
A Standard Operating Manual for CSOLO developed by PLAC was adopted at the meeting. The manual aims to do the following:
- Define the mandate and operational scope of CSOLO;
- Clearly spell out the objectives, mechanisms and structures needed to enhance the administration, management and coordination of CSOLO;
- Clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee and staff of CSOLO;
- Clearly set out a Code of Conduct for CSOLO Staff;
- Provide a step-by-step on the workflow processes for the CSOLO;
- Outline Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the operations of CSOLO; and
- Provide guidance on CSO advocacy efforts and strategies for engagement with the National Assembly