Center for African Democratic Affairs (CADA)

 WHO WE ARE

Center for African Democratic Affairs (CADA) established in 2012 is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit making Civil Society Organization. Based in Accra-Ghana, the organization reaches out to the rest of Africa. CADA is a research and Policy-Oriented “Think Tank” committed and dedicated to the advocacy and promotion of:

  • Good Governance;
  • Effective Leadership;
  • Democracy and Democratization;
  • Conflict Management and its Resolution;
  • Political and Economic Development, Management and Empowerment; and
  • Social Protection, Gender Mainstreaming and Human Rights, among others.

WHAT WE DO

CADA seeks to enhance the democratic content of public policy. In this direction, CADA champions the course of constitutionalism, human development and equal rights and rule of law. It further seeks to promote civil society and governments’ collaborations based on appropriate and acceptable checks and balances of the States powers and responsibilities as well as integrity of public officials. Also paramount at CADA is the design of appropriate programs for the promotion of African democracy, effective leadership, conflict management and its resolutions, good governance and the development of liberal economic environment and its emancipation leading to poverty reduction in Africa.

CADA, among other things, does its work through:

  • Social Protection and Policy Research Programs;
  • Seminars, Workshops, Conferences and Roundtables;
  • Consultancy on various thematic areas including democratic governance;, decentralization and local governance, local economic development, water and sanitation, monitoring and evaluation of projects, etc
  • Capacity building, Training, Advocacy and Empowerment; and
  • Collaborations and Social Networking.

Four of CADA’s current Directors have served in various capacities with the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Electoral Commission of Ghana and have acquired relevant experience in the areas mentioned above. These Directors have immense expertise in elections management worldwide.

CADA’s major strength lies in democratic governance. The organization believes that governance impact greatly on the livelihood of the people. Consequently, CADA in its work seeks to establish how democratic governance affects water and sanitation, environment, socio-economic empowerment of women, food security, etc and makes relevant recommendations where necessary.

CADA brings a new paradigm shift to develop, strengthen, promote and advocate for a liberal democratic development in Africa so as to realize a total development and poverty reduction on the continent. It is intended to be used selectively as a resource and to provide information about possible approaches to African democratic affairs. CADA’s unique approach is neither prescriptive, nor does it provide “the answers”, which can emerge only as a result of analysis and dialogue with relevant stakeholders

OBJECTIVES OF CADA

CADA’s primary objectives include the following:

  • To influence African political, economic and social developments by promoting and advocating for Good Governance, Effective Leadership, Conflict Resolution and democracy on the continent
  • Institutionalizing all kinds of developments and strengthening the forefront as the only means to socio-economic development and respect for human dignity in Africa
  • The promotion of transparency, accountability and integrity in the exercise of administrative, management, leadership and political discretion and in the allocation of the use of public resource on the continent
  • Monitoring, evaluating, analyzing and documentation of the progress of democratic developments and affairs in Africa for future reference and lessons to be drawn from.

MANDATE

Championing the course of Constitutionalism, leadership, democratic human development and equal rights and the rule of law in Africa. Again, to introduce a new paradigm shift that develop, strengthen, promote, promote peaceful coexistence among African people and advocate for a democratic development in Africa so as to realize a total development and poverty reduction strategies on the African continent.

MISSION

To promote and advocate for civil society and governments’ collaborations based on appropriate and acceptable checks and balances of the Institutional and States powers and responsibilities as well as integrity of public officials through democratic developments in Africa

VISION

To enhance the democratic content of public policy, leadership, conflict resolution/management and government development in Africa.

VALUES

CADA uses the acronym P R E M I E R to “identify seven Values that “defines to the world and to ourselves who we are and what we stand for:

Passion: To be passionate about winning and satisfying an African continent and audience with an African touch.

Risk Tolerance: To create an African culture where democratic governance, effective leadership, democratization, poverty reduction, human developments, democracy, equal rights and prudent risk taking are encouraged and rewarded.

Excellence: A commitment to excellence. The best in programming and timeliness.

Motivation: To celebrate African success, recognizing and rewarding the achievements of individual Africans and teams.

Innovation: To be creative and innovative in everything we do from programming, promotion, reportage, research to advocacy.

Empowerment: To empower all talented and democratic-minded Africans to take initiative and project of African ethics and values.

Respect: To act with integrity, fairness, transparent, credible, impartial, trustworthiness, peaceful, nonpartisan and equal opportunity for all African citizens.