Mission & Vision
The mission of the Africa Civil Society Forum is to support the development, engagement, cooperation and coordination of civil society in Africa and beyond.
The renaissance of Africa depends on the ingenuity of its people. It is Africa’s civil society that serves as the engine to empower youth and women and the lever to support education, build economies and hold governments to standards of good governance.
Africa Civil Society Forum partners with civil society organizations to harness the knowledge, experience, wisdom and cultures of the continent to address challenges and to maximize opportunities unique to Africa and common across an increasingly interconnected world.
GUIDING VALUES
Africa Civil Society Forum is guided by and seeks to advance these values for the benefit of the continent and beyond.
- Freedom, justice, equality and human dignity
- African wisdom, harmony, traditions, and culture
- Good governance with integrity
- Innovation and leapfrog technologies
- Environmental protection
- Sustainable and ethical economic development
- Women and youth empowerment
- Child protection and welfare
- Quality universal education and healthcare
- Cooperation, inclusivity, collaboration, training and development
- Fiscal responsibility and cost efficiency
Priorities to Advance the SDGs and Other International Initiatives
The work of ACSF will focus on addressing and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, themes of the African Union Summits, Agenda 2063 and other international initiatives established to promote peace and security.
ACSF promotes the rule of law and accountability of institutions at all levels to support development and to combat corruption that contributes to instability, violence and poverty.
Foundational to ACSF’s work is the belief in human dignity and equality.
ACSF promotes wellness and efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and preventable diseases such as malaria.
ACSF recognizes that an improved quality of life and economic development is dependent on access to education for all Africans. In addition, ACSF encourages a holistic approach to the development of Africa’s children and youth. ACSF supportsearly childhood education, prioritizing education for girls, educational opportunities for children with special needs, a healthy school environment that includes nutritional meals and sufficient time for play, special services for children suffering from trauma, vocational education for young adults, and adult learning opportunities.
ACSF works to establish legal frameworks to protect and promote gender equality. ACSF encourages greater participation of women in government, in part, to ensure legislation that favors gender equality. ACSF works to eliminate gender based violence, violence against women as a weapon of war, and domestic violence.
ACSF facilitates collaboration of organizations working to end hunger, reduce poverty and inequalities, and provide decent work and economic growth.
ACSF recognizes that key to sustainable economic growth is good governance that inspires investment and includes legal protection for investors, employers and employees alike.
ACSF advances policies that protect labor rights and promote safe and secure work environments. In addition, ACSF works vigorously to eradicate forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking, child labor, and the exploitation and abuse of children in any way.
ACSF supports sustainable agricultural development for the purpose of providing food, employment, markets and investment opportunities for Africans.
ACSF supports policies that help the continent harvest the seas and waterways responsibly.
ACSF encourages collaboration between landlocked and coastal countries on the continent to exchange the bounty of the sea for grains and other agricultural commodities in addition to opportunities to advance sustainable tourism that create jobs and promote local cultures and products.
ACSF supports policies that promote trade and economic growth for the continent and beyond, including consideration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
ACSF works with organizations that provide education and awareness to Africans regarding their right to land and the process for securing a legally binding deed and other such measures to safeguard against land grabs that do not benefit local communities and to maintain access to assets necessary for economic development.
Given the impact of climate change, especially in Africa, on food production, water resources and other basic conditions for life, ACSF works to provide education regarding climate change and its impact; to design and implement disaster risk reduction plans; and to promote policies that work to stabilize the environment, including the use of clean energy, leap-frog technologies, and sustainable efficient cities across the continent.
ACSF promotes policies that address Africa’s significant deficit in infrastructure in asustainable way and in the areas of energy, transport, information and communication technologies, water and sanitation, including trans-boundary water resources, noting the Africa Development Bank Group’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).
ACSF works to foster innovation and an entrepreneurial culture that will fast forward development. In particular, ACSF seeks to empower youth and to work with colleges and financial investors to encourage and fund, with small and large grants, start-ups that could become major companies or industries in the future.
meet our team
Board of Directors
Open Position
Vice President
Dr. Akec is a retired diplomat and physician. He was South Sudan’s first Ambassador to the United States after serving as the Ambassador of Sudan to the U.S. and Sudan’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations.
Secretary / Treasurer
Esther is the Founder and Director of Sudan Unlimited, which seeks to support Sudanese and Southern Sudanese in their efforts to secure and enjoy freedom, equal citizenship and a just peace.
Board Member
Gibrill has over six years of experience in Research, Program Design and Operations Management with the World Bank Justice for the Poor (J4P) Program, including providing technical and implementation support to the Government of Sierra Leone.