CONGOMA has the mandate to ensure that there is an enabling environment (economic, social, political, legal etc) for NGO operations in Malawi. This is done by making sure that there is active engagement among stakeholders through research and dialogue with Government on issues pertaining to NGO work and national development. To this effect CONGOMA is represented in over 20 committees of Government on various issues including money laundering; public service charter; social protection; democracy consolidation, joint monitoring and evaluation and disaster risk management among many others.
The following activities are underway in 2010:
- Advocacy for the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Malawi. On this activity there is an MDGs national task force under CONGOMA that coordinates the MDGs activities. This task force is composed of sector networks in excess of 20 in number. The Malawi campaign program has won MDGs awards twice in 2006 and 2007 for being the best in Africa. For more information, see our page on MDGs in Malawi.
- Mobilization of civil society to participate in the design of the Southern Africa Poverty Observatory through the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Council of NGOs.
- Establishment of the Malawi chapter for the SADC Poverty Observatory
- Engage intergovernmental bodies like SADC and African Union on Regional and Sub Regional development issues
- Engage Government of Malawi on national policy issues through the membership of CONGOMA on Government policy/program committees.
These activities are supported by the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC); Bill and Melinda Gates (Project Accelerate); The Southern Africa Trust and CONGOMA through its local fundraising efforts.