Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) in 2006 supported activities and grantees working on common issues in states across the region as well as country-specific projects. The initiative’s regional priorities focused on freedom of expression and the development of independent media; building lawyers’ capacity to defend human rights and the rule of law; strengthening women’s rights organizations; and forming civil society coalitions to develop common policies to confront HIV/AIDS.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, OSISA supported efforts to examine the shortcomings of the country’s truth and reconciliation process and improve transparency in natural resource extraction industries. With initiative support, civil society groups in Swaziland challenged constitutional changes that concentrated executive power. OSISA’s Zimbabwe program supported a broad coalition of civil society groups working to build public support for a new, more democratic constitution.

The following briefs describe some of OSISA’s activities and achievements in 2006.

New Media Outlets Offer Alternative Views

OSISA contributed $2 million to a civil society organization for the creation of new media outlets that provide alternatives to government-controlled media and offer independent coverage of important political, economic, and cultural issues. The Southern Africa Media Development Loan Fund established radio and TV stations in Mozambique and Namibia, and autonomous daily newspapers in Botswana, Lesotho, and Zambia. The fund also helped purchase printing presses for emerging publications in Tanzania, Lesotho, Zambia, and Botswana.

Diverse Groups Confront the Language of HIV/AIDS

People living with HIV/AIDS, health care workers, journalists, women’s rights advocates, and religious leaders met in Malawi for a unique discussion about the intersection of HIV/AIDS, language use, and stigma. In Malawi, for example, people with HIV/AIDS are often referred to with a phrase meaning “indiscriminate spreader of disease.” Participants at the three-day conference, supported by OSISA, explored strategies for promoting more positive language to change public perceptions of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Civil Society Wins Release of Angolan Political Detainees

The initiative worked with human rights groups and local lawyers to win the release of several political detainees, including activist Raul Danda from the oil-rich Cabinda province. The government had arrested Danda for defaming the president and possessing documents on negotiations between the government and Angolan rebels. Civil society groups pressured the government into releasing the detainees by drawing international attention to the government’s lack of evidence and failure to provide appropriate representation for the defendants.

NGO Defeats Government’s Sexist Anti-AIDS Campaign

A Swaziland civil society advocacy group successfully challenged a government anti-AIDS campaign that inaccurately described promiscuous women as the primary source of the country’s HIV/AIDS problem. SWAPOL, an NGO supported by OSISA, organized public rallies and presented petitions to the Ministry of Health and the national HIV/AIDS council condemning the campaign’s emphasis on women while largely ignoring the role of promiscuous men in the spread of HIV/AIDS. The agency initially denied the sexism charges, but continued civil society protests prompted the government to end the campaign.

Centers Help Women Develop Businesses and Raise Children

Four newly constructed community centers in Mazabuka, Zambia, initiated programs emphasizing early childhood development, health, income, and literacy as keys to ending poverty and promoting community development. The new centers, built by a community organization supported by OSISA, provided safe places for women to develop their own businesses, take adult literacy classes, and receive health care for their children.