The advocacy workshop was organized by Consumer Unity and Trust Society – Africa Resource Centre (CUTS-ARC) and Organisation Development and Community Management Trust (ODCMT) under a project entitled Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction (TDP) which is being supported by Department for International Development (DFID) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands. The project aims to sensitize and share lessons with civil society organizations, farmer organizations, traders and the general population on the ground on the links between trade, development and poverty reduction. The project also aims to build advocacy skills which will enable people to advocate and lobby for development centered trade arrangements.
The objectives of the advocacy workshop were;
To sensitise people on the ground on the impact of liberalization on the Zambian economy.
To create awareness and share lessons on the linkages between Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction from national, regional and international perspectives.
To create a wider platform for the debate over the linkages between liberalization and the poverty situation in Zambia and to use the TDP as a platform for demystifying trade policies that are people driven ā having input from the people at the grassroots level.
To build advocacy skills which are useful in lobbying and advocacy and enhance a media campaign strategy.
The workshop was attended by participants from various organisations including representatives from the Chipata District Farmers Association, youth organisations, and Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) affiliated organisations.