1511REPORT/MALAWI16

Programme for Young Parliamentarians on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure and Issue- Based Campaigning

National Assembly of Malawi

7 – 10 November 2016

Report

Contents

Background 3 Delegation 3 Objectives 4 Summary 4 Workshop comments 5 Programme 12 Outcomes and follow-up activities 17 Acknowledgments 18 About CPA UK 18 Annex a. Delegation biographies 19

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Background 1.01. Malawi’s population is predominantly young. In 2014 it was recorded that two thirds of the population were under 25 years of age. Despite this, the demographics of the Parliament of Malawi reflects that of Africa as a whole, where the average age of the population of Africa is 19, but the average age of politicians is 651. There is a high turnover of MPs in the National Assembly, but few young people – under the age of 40 - standing for seats.

1.02. CPA UK, in collaboration with the British High Commission and CPA Scotland delivered a programme for a selection of young Members at the National Assembly of Malawi and aspiring politicians. The programme explored good parliamentary practice and procedure and addressed topical areas of issue- based campaigning and barriers to youth engagement in politics.

1.03. In 1994 Malawi passed a new constitution and established multi-party democracy. In this relatively recent political history, Malawi has witnessed the establishment of a number of new political parties, as well as the amalgamation and secession of different sections of political parties. Political parties are still evolving, creating a somewhat shifting environment in terms of political priorities and allegiances. As such, political parties hold a great deal of power, including shaping media engagement and shifting Members between committees. As a result, there is often a lack of institutional memory of parliamentary practice and procedure.

1.04. With this in mind, this initial workshop held in Lilongwe from 7-10 November sought to provide introductory cross-party training on the responsibilities of parliamentarians. The delivery of this programme by a cross-party delegation from the UK Parliament and the Scottish Parliament separated the responsibilities and agency of parliamentarians from political party powers and processes.

1.05. As an introductory programme, it also served to discuss and document the key challenges facing parliamentarians in Malawi, notably regarding the customs around elections and expectations of politicians and how those differ from the expectations of British politicians.

Delegation 2.01 The UK delegation participating in the workshop was: Oliver Colvile MP, UK Parliament Kate Osamor MP, UK Parliament Angela Crawley MP, UK Parliament Liam McArthur MSP, Scottish Parliament Eleanor Bayley, Africa Programme Manager, CPA UK

2.02. The Malawi participants consisted in young Members of the National Assembly of Malawi and aspiring politicians who had been working with the British High Commission, Lilongwe. Issues of Malawi

1 Available at: https://yali.state.gov/for-young-political-hopefuls-demographics-are-on-their-side/ 3

parliamentary practices and standards involved engagement from Clerks and Officials from the National Assembly.

Aim & Objectives 3.01. Aim. To enhance the capacity of the National Assembly of Malawi by strengthening parliamentary practice and understanding of young parliamentarians and engagement with youth.

3.02. Objectives. In the context of the Westminster Model and through a programme of briefings, roundtables and an external visit, the programme aimed to achieve the following objectives:

a. Objective 1. Promote understanding of the key principles, features and functions of elected representatives, within the context of the National Assembly of Malawi including the role of parliamentarians in debating bills and introducing Private Members Bills. b. Objective 2. Improve technical capabilities of young parliamentarians to conduct oversight, including committee processes, legislative scrutiny and financial scrutiny. c. Objective 3. Increase knowledge and develop processes for the conduct of issue based campaigning, particularly in relation to those issues highlighted as priorities by youth groups.

3.03. Strategic Fit. This programme is in concordance with the following CPA UK strategic goals: a. Strategic Goal 1. To strengthen parliamentary democracy by undertaking international parliamentary outreach work on behalf of the Houses of Parliament and the wider CPA. b. Strategic Goal 2. To further co-operation between Commonwealth and non- Commonwealth parliaments and legislatures, and other democratically elected institutions. c. Strategic Goal 4. To communicate the work of CPA UK and enhance the profile of the Houses of Parliament, the Commonwealth, the CPA and CPA UK.

Summary 4.01 The visit delivered on its objectives, as an introductory step in training young parliamentarians and aspiring parliamentarians. Whilst greater engagement on Objective 2 (Improve technical capabilities of young parliamentarians to conduct oversight, including committee processes, legislative scrutiny and financial scrutiny) is required to deliver optimum parliamentary practices, participants gained greater understanding of the key principles and practices underpinning effective parliamentary governance, the role of parliamentarians in the process and discussed how key principles can be implemented in the Malawian context.

4.02 The programme engaged with diverse topics: the responsibilities and practices of candidates during elections; barriers to youth engagement as candidates and as voters; structural and financial constraints to effective parliamentary practices in the National Assembly; and community engagement and media relations. In each of these areas, the key challenges were outlined and, where possible, innovative ideas and improvements were proposed and discussed.

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4.03 Many issues were raised, both structural and behavioural, highlighting the fact that although this workshop was a good introduction and provided essential training for Members, there was a deeper need for continued engagement with young parliamentarians in Malawi. This is further supported by the number of suggestions for improvements which were raised throughout the programme demonstrating that, with support, there is a degree of political will to push through and pursue key reforms to generate lasting gains to improve the effectiveness of the National Assembly’s work.

Workshop comments 5.01. Election and pre-election period The workshop engaged with both young parliamentarians and aspiring parliamentarians. Of the latter, some had unsuccessfully stood for office in local elections. Significant time was spent discussing the election period, considering – in particular – the following questions:  What barriers are there to youth political engagement as candidates and as voters?  How do current customs during election periods impact on the elections themselves as well as the experiences of the Members whilst in office?  What can be done to improve the way in which elections are conducted?

5.02.1. Barriers to young candidates Both the young parliamentarians and the aspiring parliamentarians discussed major barriers to young people standing for election. The participants highlighted financial resources as the main barrier to the engagement of young people, stating that young people do not often have sufficient resources to campaign. This, it was argued, was due to the fact that the election period in Malawi is currently characterised as a system of handouts for local resources such as school uniforms, school fees or coffins. The lack of financial resources also impacted on young people in that on a more practical level, they were not in a position to produce as many leaflets or promotional materials.

It was highlighted, however, that whilst this was the experience in many cases, there had been instances where policy issues had been more effective campaigning tool than promotional material and handouts to voters. One current young Member who took part in the workshop spent less on his campaign than other contenders in his district and one aspiring politician stated that he had approached a local election campaign by spending significant amount on campaigning, but lost out to a candidate who spent significantly less and who ran an issue-based campaign which, ultimately appealed more to voters.

Another key barrier raised was the fact that there is a high turnover at each election and, as such, it is difficult to see being a member of parliament as a career aspiration. Young people are concerned as to what career prospects they may have following a single term in the National Assembly.

5.02.2. Barriers to the engagement of young voters As well as barriers to candidates, the participants also discussed key barriers to the engagement of young voters. According to the participants, young people are not a key target for elections, in terms of the

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issues put forward by candidates. As such, only a small proportion of young people are engaged meaningfully in the political and election processes.

One key issue raised by participants was that young people are often used (and paid) as tools in elections, as dancers and as crowds to create hype around candidates. One participant also highlighted the fact that young people who are ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET) can sometimes be used as an intimidating forces during elections. It was argued that these methods of engagement do not focus on the key issues affecting young people, which does not inspire voting.

Angela Crawley MP discussed the issue of engaging young people to vote in the UK, where there has also been a lack of engagement of young voters. Citing the case of the Scottish independence referendum, held in Scotland in 2014, Ms Crawley argued that several key factors encouraged greater engagement of young people. Firstly, for the Scottish independence referendum, the vote was extended to 16 and 17 year olds (the minimum voting in the UK is usually 18). This meant that the referendum and key issues of the vote were discussed in schools, thus actively engaging with and encouraging young voters. The UK delegation also discussed the importance of engaging young people in the political process at school age, stating that if young people vote at an early age, they are more likely to vote in subsequent elections.

The UK delegation met, on the third day of the workshop, a number of young entrepreneurs, to discuss their perceptions of the National Assembly and their experience of political engagement. The young entrepreneurs echoed this disconnect between the expectations of young people compared with the actual role of parliamentarians. The young entrepreneurs stressed that it is important to move away from a culture of handouts and for candidates to stand on the basis of issues and outcomes that candidates can realistically deliver. To do this, some young entrepreneurs argued, there has to be a return to the processes of civic education (which was implemented in schools in 1994), to educate the population about the purpose and the practices of Parliament. Civic education could also be a means to educate the population about the differences between and responsibilities of Government, Parliament and local councils.

5.02.3. Issue-based campaigns, financial resources and impartiality of electoral processes The lack of issue-based campaigning, transparent processes and financial resources pervaded workshop discussions, and were cited as a key barrier for effective politics in addition to being a particular barrier for the engagement of young people.

The issue of preventing corruption was also discussed by both the UK delegation and the Malawian participants. Whilst both countries look to make the selection and election processes as transparent and as democratic as possible, each approaches it in a different way. In Malawi, participants explained, candidates are chosen by a panel of three young people, three women and three men. Moreover, the process is that people are selected in a visible manner whereby voters physically stand behind their preferred candidate. The participants argued that this approach intends to reduce corruption by making the process completely transparent. Liam McArthur MSP argued that this approach may make it difficult to

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detect corruption behind the scenes, and that to effectively combat corruption there should be a focus on strengthening the credibility of the Malawi Electoral Commission.

The use of handouts and, subsequently, a lack of an issue-based campaigning approach was cited as a major barrier distorting the election process and impacting on the perceptions of governance, as well as on governance itself in Malawi. Participants argued that the use of handouts meant that often the candidates with greater financial resources were successful as they were able to cater to the immediate financial needs of the local electorate. However, the group discussed the limitations and negative impacts of this approach as:  This created unreal perceptions of and expectations on elected representatives. Firstly, the constituents then saw Members of the National Assembly as providers of financial resources. Whilst the participants did state that Members receive a small Constituency Development Fund, there is a little that representatives can achieve with this. As such, constituents were disappointed when Members did not fulfil expectations by acting as systematic financial providers. As a result, representatives expressed their need to avoid constituents as they felt they could not consistently meet their expectations.  A secondary consequence of this is that constituents don’t recognise the role of Members as participating in the development of legislation and the scrutiny of policy and spending. In taking a local, resource based approach, the process fosters a disconnect between how the electorate understand the responsibilities of a parliamentarian and the actual role played by parliamentarians. Parliamentarians are unlikely, therefore to fulfil expectations and citizens lack understanding of the importance of legislative and scrutiny processes in improving governance, and ultimately resource allocation and practices.

5.02.4. Increasing Issue-based campaigning approaches

Whilst significant time was dedicated to identifying and discussing the key barriers to elections, the UK delegation and the participants discussed ways in which the processes could be improved and, consequently, look at tackling a culture of handouts and increasing issue-based campaigning approaches.

The participants highlighted the existence of a draft bill which at the time of the workshop had been proposed and tentatively received the agreement of all political parties, to restrict the amount of the money spent by candidates in election campaigns. Kate Osamor MP argued that this is an effective way in which funding is restricted and helps create a level playing field in UK elections. In the UK the Electoral Commission is empowered with the regulation of political party and election funding restrictions. Ms Osamor discussed her experiences of the election process, stating that stringent rules on election funding and practices means that candidates are only allowed to produce one leaflet. As such, other means of engaging with voters are amplified, namely canvassing and the use of hustings, where candidates debate key issues. The UK delegation argued that the passage of a bill to restrict election campaign funding has the potential to encourage greater campaigning on the basis of issue or policy agendas.

5.03. Good parliamentary practices

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5.03.1. Discussion of good practice The encouragement of issue-based campaigning fed into discussions of good parliamentary practices for Members of the National Assembly. This issue area encouraged discussion of the impact and potential for issue based work, consideration of the key resource barriers to effective parliamentary work and highlighted the particular need for training for Members especially on conducting effective financial scrutiny.

5.03.2. The impact of resource restrictions An often cited issue is the severe lack of funding and resources for the Parliament of Malawi. The participants and the British High Commission Lilongwe both discussed the fact that funding to Parliament is set out by government, thus indirectly controlling when the National Assembly is able to work.

The National Assembly is funded to sit for 10 weeks a year. Given the short amount of time, and the focus on the legislative agenda, little time and very few resources is available to deliver financial scrutiny or the development of issue-based and evidence based politics, particularly through the committee structure.

5.03.3. Scrutiny of the national budget The National Assembly has just two weeks to debate and to pass the national budget. As such, scrutiny of the budget is very limited. The participants outlined the process, highlighting that, to scrutinise the different areas, committees undertake this process as a group, and the Budget and Finance Committee presents the report and questions on behalf of the grouping of all committees. Moreover, participants stressed that there is both very little time and resources to carry out effective scrutiny. The National Assembly only funds three researchers to support the work of the entire institution.

5.03.4. Committee work For individual committees, issues at an organisational level were highlighted as problematic. Participants stated that political parties have a lot of power to shuffle committee members around, which makes it more difficult to retain members and knowledge. The UK delegation raised the key issues with this as: affecting the continuity of scrutiny on particular issues; preventing the accumulation of institutional memory in committees. The participants also highlighted this as a key problem with respect to how they are viewed. They are often seen as inactive.

The issue of the lack of time to scrutinise budgets, policy and practices was also raised with respect to the work of committees more broadly. Participants praised the fact that, currently, the committees were able to meet for one week per quarter but pointed out that this was the most frequent occurrence in the past two years. Often the government did not provide the budget for committees to meet. The participants highlighted the issue that – in order to meet – they relied upon donations of space and funding for meetings from interested stakeholders, because funds were not available from the National Assembly itself. The UK delegation expressed concern that, by relying financially on people with a vested interested in the outcomes of an inquiry, the independence of committees could be compromised.

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5.03.5. Issue-based politics and engaging with the electorate Oliver Colvile MP opened the debate on this subject by stating that there are three key principles for parliamentarians to follow: to ‘make noise’; to scrutinise government and legislation; and to engage with constituents. Here, the participants discussed how difficult it is to effectively communicate parliamentarians’ responsibilities to the electorate. Some of this discussion echoed that of the discussion on election processes, whereby because handouts are common during elections, constituents see the role of an MP as a provider of financial and physical resources.

Mr Colvile emphasised the importance of communicating the role of an MP to constituents. He stressed that this was also relevant for UK Members. Ms Osamor argued that the in the UK, Members have administrative support to facilitate communication with the public, both from Westminster and in the constituencies. The support helps to both deliver results and engagement for constituents and to communicate the other aspects of parliamentary work, namely: scrutiny of government and debates on and development of legislation. Individual MPs also have the support of an outreach team in the UK Parliament who communicate the work of the UK Parliament more broadly at the regional and national levels. To do this, they have mobilised regional volunteers to facilitate community engagement.

5.03.6. Private Members Bills (PMB) and issue-based politics The workshop looked briefly at the role of Public Members Bills (PMB) in supporting greater issue-based work. Participants outlined the process for bills in the National Assembly. Every Member is entitled to introduce a PMB. However, some participants argued that – in reality – for PMBs to have traction Members needed to lobby the Business Committee and that, in any case the government could disrupt the passage of a PMB. Participants also highlighted that, given the restricted timeframe, Members did not have time nor the means to push through particular issues. Mr McArthur highlighted the importance of cross-party work to support the passage of key bills. Indeed, in the Scottish Parliament - for a PMB to progress – cross- party support from 20 MSPs is required to get to the drafting stage of a bill. He emphasised that two key issues can support the passage of a bill on a particular issue: support from the government; and cross- party support to increase the non-partisan/national interest perception of a bill.

5.03.7. Financial scrutiny The participants were divided into smaller groups to discuss financial scrutiny processes. The main comments from participants highlighted the lack of technical skills and training for Members and the lack of technical support in scrutinising budgets. One of the participants stated that the National Assembly’s Budget Office comprised of just part of a room with very little technical support. As such, he argued, committees go into clusters without being fully equipped with the necessary financial scrutiny skills, nor with complete understanding of how they can effectively assess budgets – visualising it from budget to expenditure. Another participant went on to say that, because of this, cluster committees just ‘rubber- stamp’ the budget rather than provide effective constructive scrutiny.

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Each of the focus groups drew out different and interesting ideas for better financial scrutiny, in addition to providing additional training and effective financial scrutiny support. One group highlighted the fact that budgets currently stretch from June – to – June, which coincides with the harvest, meaning that the electorate is not engaged in the process as they are concerned with food shortages. One participant suggested that, by shifting the budget schedule from January to December it would enable greater engagement of citizens. This group also highlighted the importance of calling in expertise and opinion from relevant stakeholders on budget items, stating that this would help to correctly inform analysis and suggest changes for budget items.

The UK delegation discussed the purpose and practices of financial scrutiny in the UK and in the Scottish parliaments. They stated that key questions need to be considered when scrutinising a budget, namely: is the amount of money allocated worth it; and what are the potential impacts on communities? The UK delegation also stressed that it is important to track changes over time. Audit reports, they argued, are a key source of information – particularly in terms of analysis on overspends and underspends, to plan effectively in the next budgetary phases.

5.04. Media engagement Drawing on the key issues of constituency engagement, youth engagement and the need for MPs to communicate their work with the electorate, the final day of the workshop focused on the role of communication and engagement with the media.

The participants outlined the barriers to communication with the electorate. This included the fact that internet penetration is low; that there is a low literacy rate (only 20,000 out of a population of 16 million buy newspapers); and that relationships between members and the media aren’t strong.

The session with the media representatives drew out and addressed key grievances between the media sector and parliamentarians. They also stated that the media often missed the momentum of an issue, because the journalists chose what should be covered and when.

In return, the media representatives outlined their difficulties in engaging effectively with parliamentarians. In particular, the media found it difficult to engage directly with parliamentarians, stating that the political parties were so strong that the parties set the agenda and nominated spokespeople. This made it difficult to get stories from parliamentarians themselves. They were often referred to the political parties. The media also stated that local news needed to focus on the local issues, whereas the national media (who were present at the workshop meeting) needed to focus on issues at a national level. Transport costs are too high for national newspapers to cover local issues.

The issue of constituency engagement was explored further by the participants. Whilst the National Assembly has been given a licence to broadcast proceedings on the radio, they do not have the resources to purchase equipment to deliver this. There is also the issue that a large proportion of the population don’t speak English, but it would be too expensive to broadcast in many local languages.

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Whilst there were differing opinions amongst the participants, one popular idea was that the National Assembly, or Members in particular could ‘piggy-back’ on community radio stations. This would enable the National Assembly to reach out in different languages, utilising existing infrastructure to cut costs. In this way, it was argued, Members could better communicate their work to constituents. To make this possible, it would be essential to train local radio journalists in the practice and procedure of the National Assembly.

Mr McArthur stressed the importance of positive engagement between parliamentarians and the media, stressing that Members need to find ways of making news important and relevant (including committee work). It is also important for media to hold Members to account for an effective and transparent political system. Despite differences and disagreements between the participants and the media during the session, both acknowledged the fact that there is a gap and misunderstanding between them that needs to be addressed constructively moving forward.

5.05. Stakeholder Meetings In preparation for and around the workshop programme, the UK delegation met with key UK stakeholders in Malawi, namely representatives from the UK Department for International Development (DfID); the British High Commission Lilongwe, as well as undertaking a short visit to a DfID funded project in Dedza. These meetings served to inform the UK delegation of the political, economic and social landscape in Malawi, as well as exposure to key issues for citizens both with respect to the governance structure and international donor community. Through these meetings, the delegation gained greater understanding of several key governance challenges in Malawi, which were also addressed from the perspective of the participants during the programme. Overall, this programme highlighted challenges to effective governance, as well as explored many of the key responsibilities during a career as a parliamentarian, stretching from candidature, to effective parliamentary practices when in office.

Programme outline 6.01. Each session of the programme was chaired by a Member of the National Assembly of Malawi

Monday 7 November 2016 Parliamentary procedure and legislative processes 0800 - 0840 Breakfast briefing with the Department for International Development Phillip Smith, Head of DfID Lilongwe Jean-Francois Briere, DfID Lilongwe Lucy Hale, DfID Lilongwe HE Simon Mustard, British High Commissioner Lilongwe Hellen Chabunya, Head of Political and Public Affairs, British High Commission Lilongwe FCO Office, Lilongwe 0900 - 0930 Welcome & Introductions

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This introductory session provided an overview of aim and the programme that the delegation undertook on 7 – 9 November 2016. Parliament of Malawi

Suggested Speakers: Hon. Richard Msowoya MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi Oliver Colvile MP, Leader of the UK Delegation 0930-1100 Session 1: Principles of Parliamentary Representation This session examined the key responsibilities of being a parliamentarian. The session examined the role of MPs in parliament and the role of MPs in their constituencies. The session will also outline resources available to MPs to undertake these responsibilities and a discussion of the practices which MPs can follow. Key areas explored included:  Representing needs and issues of constituents;  Engaging with local issues such as local industry, education and employment and healthcare;  Engaging with local governance mechanisms;  Introduction of legislation through Private Members Bills;  Chamber debates, parliamentary questions on issue areas;  Chamber debates on Bills; and  Scrutiny: policy; budgets; projects and legislation.

Speakers: Oliver Colvile MP Kate Osamor MP Liam McArthur MSP Angela Crawley MP 1100 - 1130 Break 1130 - 1300 Session 2: The Role and Application of Standing Orders This session was led by Officials of the National Assembly of Malawi, who introduced the purpose and the key principles of the Standing Orders. They also provided an outline of the sections in the document and talked briefly about the roles and procedures that the rules correspond to, particularly how they relate to the responsibilities of MPs. This session also included UK experiences and examples on the role of Standing Orders.

Suggested speakers: Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly

With input from: Oliver Colvile MP Liam McArthur MSP 1300 - 1400 Working Lunch

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1400 - 1500 Session 3: The Legislative Process This session provided an introduction to the legislative process, concentrating on the process by which Public Bills pass through the Assembly and highlighting the process of legislative scrutiny. This session will include discussion of the UK and Scottish legislative processes, and the role and relationships between government and opposition during the passage of a Bill.

Suggested Speakers: Kate Osamor MP Liam McArthur MSP 1500 - 1630 Session 4: Private Members Bills This extended session discussed, compared and contrasted the procedures and purpose of Private Members Bills in Malawi and in the UK. This was an interactive plenary session, whereby Members also discussed the process and challenges for Private Members Bills in the National Assembly.

Suggested speakers: Oliver Colvile MP Liam McArthur MSP Angela Crawley MP 1630 End of Day 1, Parliamentary Programme 1730 Dinner for the UK Delegation at the High Commissioner’s Residence British High Commission, Lilongwe Tuesday 8 November 2016 The role of scrutiny and issue based parliamentary work 0900 - 1000 Session 5: Introduction to the Role of Committees This session provided an overview of the role of committees. It highlighted the differences in scrutinising legislation and scrutinising policy, practices and budgets. This session also discussed the importance of committee strategy, aims and objectives and explored and compared UK and Malawian approaches to committee work.

Suggested Speakers: Oliver Colvile MP Kate Osamor MP 1000 - 1100 Session 6: Inquiry Process and Developing Information Networks This session will explore the process by which committee inquiries are conducted. As well as discussing the procedure, key events and key goals of an inquiry, the session will discuss written and oral evidence and the use of information networks and relationships with Non-Governmental Organisations, think tanks, universities and Civil Society Organisations as key sources of evidence and knowledge on particular policies, practices and issues.

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Suggested Speakers: Angela Crawley MP Liam McArthur MSP 1100 - 1130 Break

1130 - 1300 Session 7: Technical Workshop on Financial Scrutiny Financial scrutiny is a key part of the oversight process. This session equiped parliamentarians with the principles to draw on budget data in their scrutiny processes.

Suggested Speakers: Liam McArthur MSP Oliver Colvile MP Angela Crawley MP Kate Osamor MP 1300 - 1400 Working Lunch 1400 - 1445 Session 8a: Issue-Based Campaigning This session examined key barriers to issue based campaigning, following discussions during the working lunch and sought to discuss and develop a list of three key issue areas which will be of relevance to young people. This session also drew on the UK experience, both in terms of the Select Committees, the All-Party Parliamentary Group system.

Suggested speakers: Oliver Colvile MP Kate Osamor MP TBC, Member of the Parliament of Malawi 1445 - 1530 Session 8b: Issue Based Campaigning Exercise Participants undertook a short exercise, in small groups. The groups will analysed key issues on which they could campaign, as well as discussing the barriers to pursuing issue- based campaigning and youth engagement.

Suggested Facilitators: Liam McArthur MSP Oliver Colvile MP Angela Crawley MP Kate Osamor MP 1530 -1600 Break 1600 - 1700 Session 9a: Youth engagement – preparation session In this session participants discussed barriers and trends in youth engagement. Discussion centred on the mechanisms young people use and can use to be politically active. The session explored the challenges and opportunities for Parliament and parliamentarians to engage with different youth groups. Questions to consider included:

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 In what ways is the youth politically active? Through protest, through voting, and/or through social media?  How do socio-economic background, different regions and different cultural groups engage with politics differently?  How can elected representatives engage with young people and how can parliament effectively take into account the views and opinions of young people? How can parliament encourage young people to be politically active, within the rules and procedures of political institutions?  What existing networks or organisations exist to facilitate youth engagement in politics? Are they representative or are there divisions of social inequality or gender within these mechanisms?

Suggested speakers: Angela Crawley MP Kate Osamor MP Oliver Colvile MP Liam McArthur MSP 1700 End of day 2, parliamentary programme TBC Dinner on the Politics of Malawi I Sunbird Capital Hotel, Lilongwe Dr. Justin Malewezi, former Vice-President of Malawi Hellen Chabunya, Head of Political and Public Affairs, British High Commission, Lilongwe Wednesday 9 November 2016

0800 - 0900 Visit to the Timveni Youth project Area 47, Timveni HQ 0915 - 1200 Session 9b: Meeting with Representatives of Youth Organisations and the Youth Council DfiD Youth Panel Youth Activists The Tamarind Club, British High Commission Lilongwe

Suggested speakers: Liam McArthur MSP Oliver Colvile MP Angela Crawley MP Kate Osamor MP 1300 - 1400 Sandwich Lunch Tamarind Club, British High Commission Lilongwe 1500 - 1615 Session 10: Engagement with the media

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This session explored different ways in which MPs can engage with media organisations at the constituency and the national level. The session examined three key questions: Part 1: How can MPs engage with their constituents on issues? What media tools can be used? Part 2: How can the National Assembly effectively communicate their work to the public? Part 3: How can media engage more effectively with the National Assembly and with parliamentarians?

Suggested speakers: Liam McArthur MSP Angela Crawley MP 5 Senior Reporters/Political Reporters, Malawi 1615 - 1630 Break and completing of evaluation forms 1630 - 1700 Evaluation session The final half hour provided an opportunity for participants to discuss this programme and to raise any questions that hadn’t been addressed during the programme. This session also allowed for participants to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the programme, as well as to allow discussion on what future areas of training they may find useful.

Suggested speakers: Oliver Colvile MP Kate Osamor MP 1700 - 1715 Closing remarks Suggested speaker: Oliver Colvile MP 1715 End of Programme 1730 Presentation of Certificates Thursday 10 November 2016 External meetings and visits – UK delegation 0830 - 0900 Presentation from the FCO funded project, the Wildlife Centre 0915 - 1045 Meetings on Politics, Governance and Rule of Law Attendees: Centre for Multi-Party Democracy Lawyers Forum for Human Rights National Democratic Institute Judiciary Representative United Nations Representatives (TBC) UNDP Office, Lilongwe 1100 - 1130 Meeting with James Wharton MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development British High Commission, Lilongwe

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Includes brunch 1140 - 1800 Visit to the DFID and Climate Resilience Visit to Minga Academy, Malawi Project (ECRP), Dedza Liam McArthur MSP Kate Osamor MP Angela Crawley MP Christina Connolly, DfID Climate Adviser Heather Campbell, Concern Universal Country Director Hellen Chabunya, Head of Political and Public Affairs, British High Commission Lilongwe Benson Linje, British High Commission Lilongwe 2300 UK Delegation depart for flight to London

Outcomes and follow-up activities

7.01. During the programme, two key actionable ideas were raised and explored. Firstly, the participants raised the issue that the National Assembly of Malawi doesn’t have a Youth Caucus, in which young members of all parties can gather to discuss key issues/priorities as well as discuss barriers to greater engagement of young and aspiring parliamentarians.

7.02. Secondly, during the session with media houses at the end of the programme, key issues of MP’s lines of communication with their constituents and with young people was raised. Whilst a parliament- managed direct broadcast of proceedings at the National Assembly seemed difficult, the idea of MPs and aspiring politicians using local radio to communicate with constituents (in English as well as in local languages) was a popular suggestion. This was proposed and should be followed up by the Chair of the Media and Communications Committee, Hon. Samuel Kawale MP.

7.03 CPA UK will continue to maintain an open channel of communications with the National Assembly of Malawi and the British High Commission Lilongwe in order to determine and to continue support to the Parliament. In establishing a longer term parliamentary partnership programme, CPA UK will focus on supporting the work of young and aspiring politicians particularly in developing issue-based campaigning approaches and evidence-based policy-making.

7.04 Collaborating with the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), CPA UK is looking to organise a programme in the UK for young parliamentarians to study evidence-based policy making, tying this initial programme to the training programme conducted by POST to train researchers at the National Assembly of Malawi. This programme will further support and sustain this initial work on issue-based politics.

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Acknowledgments

8.01 Sincere thanks is given to Hellen Chabunya, Head of Political and Parliamentary Affairs at the British High Commission Lilongwe for jointly coordinating the programme, for liaising with the National Assembly of Malawi and for organising key meetings throughout the visit.

8.02 Sincere appreciation is given to Hon. Richard Msowoya MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Malawi and to the protocol team at the National Assembly for their welcome and their support in hosting the programme at the National Assembly. Acknowledgement is also extended to all young and aspiring parliamentarians and clerks for their active participation in and contribution to the discussions. This made for an interactive and stimulating exchange of ideas.

8.02 Thanks are extended to HE Simon Mustard, British High Commissioner Lilongwe, Philip Smith, Head of DfID Malawi, Lucy Hayes, Governance Team Leader and Senior Governance Advisor, DFID Malawi for their outstanding briefings of the delegation upon its arrival in country and during the programme. The UK delegation is also grateful for their support and hospitality during the programme.

8.03 Finally, thanks are also given to Heather Campbell, Country Director and the team at Concern Universal for briefing the delegation and organising the visit of sustainable agriculture and livelihood projects in Dedza.

About CPA UK

9.01. CPA UK is one of the largest and most active branches in the CPA community and delivers a unique annual international outreach programme in Westminster and overseas. CPA UK works to encourage parliamentary diplomacy and build parliamentary capacity on behalf of the UK Parliament and the wider CPA. Through activities such as conferences, seminars, delegations and parliamentary strengthening teams, CPA UK provides Members with a practical, current and first-hand perspective on international issues facing fellow parliamentarians across the Commonwealth. Working with CPA UK’s international outreach programmes also enhances Members’ understanding of issues facing diaspora communities in their own constituencies.

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Annex A - Delegation biographical details

Delegate Biographies

Oliver Colvile MP (Conservative) Oliver Colvile has represented the South West constituency of Plymouth Sutton & Devonport since 2010. Following re-election in 2015, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Ministers of State at the Ministry of Defence. In July 2016, Oliver was appointed as PPS to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Prior to his election in 2010, Oliver was the Conservative Party’s Election Agent in the London Borough of Merton, where he successfully ran the Parliamentary elections for Dame Angela Rumbold between 1983 and 1993.

After leaving the professional staff of the Conservative Party, he set up his own communications business, giving advice to local developers on community cohesion and planning issues. In Parliament, Oliver is the Chairman of the APPG for Malawi and Zambia, as well we the APPG for the Built Environment.

Kate Osamor MP (Labour) Kate Osamor MP is the representative for Edmonton and was elected in May 2015. Kate is also the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development and the Chair of the Nigeria All-Party Parliamentary Group. Kate was born and grew up in North London, attending Creighton comprehensive school and is a community activist.

Having successfully obtained a BA (Hons) degree from the University of East London in Third World Studies, Kate went on to work for the Big Issue, a magazine sold by homeless and long-term unemployed people. She became the Chair of Governors at a local school, while working in the voluntary sector.

Kate started her 15 years’ service to the NHS by working at an Out Of Hours Co-Op before moving on to becoming a GP practice manager.

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Angela Crawley MP (Scottish National Party) Angela Crawley was elected as the SNP MP for Lanark and Hamilton East in May 2015. Prior to her election to Parliament, she served as an SNP Councillor for Hamilton South in South Lanarkshire.

Angela is the SNP’s Spokesperson for Equalities, Women and Children and sits on the Women and Equalities committee in Westminster.

Born and raised in Hamilton, Angela attended John Ogilvie High School before going on to study Politics at Stirling University. Having obtained a B.A honours degree in Politics, she continued to invest in her education and completed her LLB in Law from the University of Glasgow.

She also worked as a Parliamentary Assistant for a Government Minister and a Member of the Scottish Parliament.

Liam McArthur MSP (Scottish Liberal Democrats) Liam McArthur was born in Edinburgh and moved to live in Sanday, Orkney with his family in 1977 when he was ten. Island life gave Liam a strong sense of community and an understanding of the importance of allowing people, particularly in remoter communities, the chance to take decisions that affect their own lives. After graduating from Edinburgh University, Liam headed to London to take on the role of researcher in the House of Commons for then Orkney & Shetland MP, Jim Wallace, followed by working in Brussels for the European Commission and a as a public affairs consultant. After a return to London, Liam headed for Edinburgh to work as Special Adviser to Jim Wallace, then Deputy First Minister. This gave Liam a taste of the cut-and-thrust of cross-party working, and involvement in high level decision-making in key policy areas including rural affairs, fisheries, enterprise and education. He was then elected in 2007.

Liam has also worked hard to develop the close ties that exist between communities in Orkney and Malawi, notably a twinning arrangement between Minga School near Lilongwe and Liam's old school in Sanday.

Education: Sanday Junior High School, Orkney Kirkwall Grammar School, Orkney Edinburgh University - Politics MA (Hons)

Career History: 2006-07 Self-employed political consultant 2005-06 Director, Greenhaus communications 2002-05 Special Adviser to Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace MSP 1996-02 Associate Director, APCO and APCO Europe

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1993-96 Account Executive, various EU public affairs consultancies 1992-93 Trainee, European Commission (External Affairs directorate) 1990-92 Researcher, Jim Wallace MP, House of Commons

Roles in the Scottish Parliament: Spokesperson for Justice, Energy and Environment (previously Education, and Rural Affairs). Member of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body Member of the Justice Committee

Membership of XPGs: Chair of the Malawi CPG, and Co-Chair of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency CPG.

Eleanor Bayley, Africa Programme Manager, CPA UK Eleanor joined CPA UK in 2015 and is responsible for the planning and delivery of CPA UK’s engagement with the Africa Region.

Prior to joining CPA UK, Eleanor worked in research and project management at International Alert and on oversight of defence and security sectors at the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). Eleanor holds a BSc (Hons) In International Relations from the London School of Economics and a Master’s in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Eleanor is fluent in French.

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