Civil society organisations (CSOs) have contributed effectively over the years to development in West Africa.
They have advocated for social, political and economic transformation, they have delivered critical and relevant services and complemented government’s efforts in this area, they have created and enhanced the space for citizens’ participation and the amplification of their voices in governance and they have among other things, held government and other power holders to account. Often, only the activities of a few, particularly those working at the national level, are known.
Due to a lack of documentation and data, there is a challenge of knowing who the credible organisations are in the sub-region, where they are and what they are doing? This information is needed not only for the visibility of the organisations and their work, but also to enable those who need them to reach out and also create opportunities for collaborations between like-minded institutions for greater impact.
In response to this identified gap, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) has developed an electronic directory for CSOs in West Africa (http://www.csowestafrica.org) to effectively network, build partnerships, share knowledge and gather data. The website aims to serve as a one-stop-shop for information on legitimate and operational CSOs working in all ECOWAS member states as well as Cameroon, Chad and Mauritania.
This bilingual (English and French) platform comes with a range of interesting features CSOs can leverage on to raise their visibility and engage different stakeholders. It also remains a platform where organisations interested in working with credible CSOs can find information on who to work with in the different countries.
According to Nana Afadzinu, Executive Director of WACSI,in a release copied to Newsghana.com.gh, “the website aims to increase data generation and documentation of information on CSOs by CSOs; boost their visibility and engagement; enhance CSOs’ networking and partnership opportunities; and facilitate knowledge sharing and peer learning within the sector”.
She encouraged CSOs in target countries to register on the website and requested partners of CSOs to share this opportunity with their partners.
“The website seeks to provide accessible and credible data on CSOs and their operations in these countries”, she added.
The website is user-friendly and secure. Organisations in remote and urban parts in the region can use the website for the following;
• Share information on upcoming events
• Share impact stories and other milestones realised by the organisation
• Share videos and
• Share any opportunities that may exist within their respective organisations.
This website can be used by all legally registered CSOs in the target countries.
