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afrol News, 28 January - Previously strained relations between the Zambian government and civil society are slowly changing into productive dialogue on the national poverty reduction strategy and other development issues. A Civil Society for Poverty Reduction group is starting to get influence over Zambia's poverty reduction policy. The UN development agency UNDP today reports it had "helped" creating the needed dialogue between Zambia's government and civil society groups to define an anti-poverty policy that is rooted in the needs of the Zambian population. - As a result of civil society input, the strategy calls for abolishing 75 District Administrators offices, which have become patronage jobs, and a Presidential discretionary fund that lacks accountability, Elda Chirwa from UNDP's Zambia office today said. The dialogue had also resulted in another key governance issues, namely urging constitutional reform. On education, the new strategy to fight poverty recommended higher pay for teachers, incentives for rural teachers, improved teaching materials, curriculum renewal and life skills and HIV/AIDS counselling in schools, the UN agency reports. It also called for a focus on food security and more investment in agriculture. - Progress began when UNDP helped groups form Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, UNDP says. The new group is a broad-based network that participates in poverty reduction strategy discussions with the government, the World Bank, UN agencies and donor countries. The network's steering committee includes 26 organizations, including the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the University of Zambia, the Congress of Trade Unions, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection and the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Committee. - To smooth the way for dialogue, UNDP arranged for training in negotiating skills and conflict resolution for the steering committee through its Peak Performance Programme, the UN agency says. "The training was effective, and more than 80 percent of civil society inputs were incorporated into the poverty reduction strategy." The government and the network had both requested additional conflict resolution training, which UNDP was arranging. - The government and civil society are moving away from the mutual suspicion of the past, Besinati Phiri Mpepo, Coordinator of the coalition, told UNDP. "For the process to work, civil society must be effectively organized and equipped with essential skills in negotiation and conflict resolution," she noted. - We look forward to greater cooperation with the government in ensuring that poverty reduction and overall national development is achieved, Ms Mpepo was quoted by UNDP. Participants had learned how to communicate their needs effectively, manage conflicts productively, think in ways beneficial to themselves and the Government and develop healthy relationships with their development partners, said UNDP Resident Representative in Lusaka, Olubanke King-Akerele. UNDP, Oxfam and the German technical cooperation agency (GTZ) had provided initial support for the network. With the success of the poverty process, a number of other donors later added their support. UNDP was also "helping civil society get involved in other development issues," the agency said. Sources: Based on UNDP and afrol archives
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