The Civil Society Alliance for Democracy (CSAD) was formally inaugurated in Suva today, with sixteen of its founding members participating in person and online in the inaugural meeting held at Pasifika Communities University.
The Alliance brings together civil society organisations, community actors, academics, legal professionals
and other civil society actors committed to strengthening democracy, the rule of law, accountable governance, institutional independence, equality and civic freedoms in Fiji.
The inauguration followed consultations initiated by the Centre for Democracy & Dialogue (CDD) on establishing a permanent and organised civil society platform focused specifically on the protection and strengthening of democracy.
During today’s meeting, founding members considered the proposed Founding Charter and Terms of Reference, discussed its key governance and operational provisions, and formally adopted the Charter.
The meeting also elected the Alliance’s first five-member Executive Committee.
The inaugural Executive Committee comprises:
- Chair: Nilesh Lal, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Democracy & Dialogue
- Deputy Chair: Vani Catanasiga, Executive Director, Fiji Council of Social Services
- Executive Committee Member: Paulina Rauca, Executive Director, Transparency & Integrity Fiji
- Executive Committee Member: Govind Singh, President, School Management Association of Fiji
- Executive Committee Member: Litia Nailatikau, Lawyer and Programme Manager, Conciliation Resources
The Executive Committee will provide strategic direction to the Alliance, oversee its advocacy and institutional engagement, approve public positions and guide the development of its initial programme of work.
CSAD has been established as an independent, non-partisan and voluntary civil society coalition. It is intended to provide a platform through which civil society can collectively monitor developments affecting democracy, undertake research and legal and policy analysis, engage public institutions, make submissions, conduct public advocacy and respond to developments that may weaken democratic institutions or rights.
The Alliance has been established at a particularly significant time for Fiji, with the country currently confronting major questions around constitutional reform, the conduct and timing of the next general election, electoral legislation, institutional independence, parliamentary processes and the wider quality of democratic governance.
Following today’s inauguration, the Executive Committee and founding members will now begin developing CSAD’s initial priorities and programme of work, including mechanisms for monitoring democratic developments, scrutinising significant legislation and institutional decisions, strengthening public participation and coordinating civil society responses to major democratic issues.
CSAD’s founding principle is that democracy extends beyond the holding of elections and requires constitutional government, independent institutions, meaningful parliamentary scrutiny, equality before the law, protection of minorities, civic freedoms, public accountability and genuine opportunities for citizens to participate in decisions affecting them.
