Partner NiZA in Zambia

20 years of its experience has made NGOCC a torchbearer in advancing the work of the Women’s Movement in Zambia.

Who is Non-Governmental Organisations’ Co-ordinating Committee?

The Non-Governmental Organisations’ Co-ordinating Committee, NGOCC, was founded in 1985 to unite NGO’s effort to empower women in Zambia. This has made NGOCC a torchbearer in advancing the work of the women’s movement. It is an umbrella organisation facilitating networking nationally and internationally. It has a membership of 73 organisations (45 NGOs and 28 CBOs). The vast majority of the members (69) serve to empower and advance the status of women, while the others contribute to the vision of the Women’s movement.

NGOCC is a member of FEMNET, the African Women’s Development and Communication Network. NGOCC participates in United Nations conferences through the UN division for the Advancement of Women. Other international linkages are International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), National Women’s Organisation of Uganda (NAWOU), Southern African Development Community – through the Gender Unit and African Union.

What does Non-Governmental Organisations’ Co-ordinating Committee stand for?

NGOCC envisages a gender sensitive and responsive society where women realise and utilise their full cultural, social, economic and political potential. It is committed to co-ordinating and strengthening member NGOs and CBO to enhance their effectiveness in empowering women.

NGOCC operates three programmes: Capacity Building and Networking, Communication and Advocacy, and Movement (M2000). The Capacity Building and Networking is the “Backbone” of NGOCC’s operations. It objective is to build management, leadership and joint action capabilities of member organisations through training workshops, Provincial Liaison Committees and facilitating member exchange programmes. The Communication and Advocacy is the “Life blood” of the Women’s Movement as a whole. The programme’s objective is to promote awareness and sensitisation on gender issues though publications, media and Documentation / Computer Centre. M2000 project is a collective project of NGOCC and its members, which provides room for the pooling for resources in order to address some of the problems women are facing in Zambia and general advance the status of women. Its objective is to facilitate member organisations’ access to resources.

What does Non-Governmental Organisations’ Co-ordinating Committee do?

The daily activities of NGOCC touches upon various aspects of human rights work:

• co-ordinates and acts as a clearing house for the activities of member organisations
• promote civic education and holds relevant seminars to sensitise the public on the rights of the child, women and men
• establishes and maintains a system of information, documentation and communication on women's issues and adopts means of making known the activities of member organisations
• holds regular meetings, workshops and seminars for member organisations on gender and development issues
• mounts and co-ordinatescampaigns and demonstrations on matters of common concern
• mobilises members for joint actions
• supports young women activities and facilitates mainstreaming gender and HIV/IDS in member organisations
• facilitates members to generate and access information through Women’s Resource Centres
• facilitates training of trainers and community animators, Organisational Development and entrepreneurship training