The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) cordially invites you to the 2023 Nelson Mandela Children’s Celebration.
This year, we commemorate 10 years since the passing of our founder Mr Nelson R. Mandela, in line with our theme Gone but Not Forgotten – A Legacy in Action. Join us for a Children’s Walk which will begin at the Fund’s Flagship Project, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, to finish off at the Johannesburg Zoo where guests, including child beneficiaries of the Fund, will be treated to some entertainment in memory of Madiba a cause close to his heart – children’s wellbeing.
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Saturday, 15 July 2023
08:00 for 08:30 – 14:00
Johannesburg Zoo, Parkview, Johannesburg. 

We are thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund Gala Cannes, held on May 26, 2023. The event was a resounding success, bringing together esteemed guests, renowned humanitarians, and supporters from around the world.


During the gala, we had the privilege of honouring two exceptional individuals who have made an indelible impact on the lives of children worldwide. Mr. Jerry Inzerillo, GCEO of Diriyah Company, and Dr. Solanges Vivens, Author of "Girls Can Move Mountains" and Business Leader, were recognised for their unwavering commitment to the protection of children, children's health and wellbeing, and their relentless efforts in launching various initiatives to benefit children across the globe. The evening was filled with inspiration, as attendees gathered to celebrate these remarkable honourees and their remarkable achievements, which included a special moment which occurred when Dr. Linda Ncube-Nkomo, CEO at the Fund, and Mr Anant Singh, (NMCF President’s Club members) presented Mr. Jerry Inzerillo with the prestigious award.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Jerry Inzerillo and Dr. Solanges Vivens for their valuable contribution to the gala and for being an inspiration to us all and emphasises the importance of the honourees' contributions to the well-being of children.
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Mr. Christian Vosseler, the CEO of Kinderlachen, was also brought on stage during the ceremony and recognized for his decades of commitment to children in need in Europe. "Kinderlachen ("Children's Laughter") is one of Germany's important non-profit organisation representing the interests and rights of children and teenagers. Founded by Christian Vosseler and Marc Peine, its genesis stems from gift giving in children's hospitals in Dortmund." The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund wishes continued success to the Kinderlachen foundation."

Cannes, France: On Friday, 26 May 2023, at 19:00, The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) Gala Cannes will provide a unique event experience and honour humanitarians Mr Jerry Inzerillo, GCEO of Diriyah Company, and Dr. Solanges Vivens, Author of “Girls Can Move Mountains” and Business Leader.  The honourees have dedicated to the protection of children, children’s health and wellbeing, launching various initiatives for their benefit around the world.  The celebration will occur at the Villa Oxygene at 137 Av. des Cactus, 06220 Vallauris, France.

Mr Inzerillo was a close friend of President Mandela and was integral in many of the fundraising and capacity-building initiatives related to the creation of the Fund.  His generosity and humanistic heart led to many important occasions that helped hundreds of children through the Fund, such as the Versace benefit fashion show in 1998. 
Dr Vivens is a renowned businesswoman who has used her knowledge to inspire girls and, now, seniors to pursue a meaningful life.  She established a school in Haiti and revitalised a community church in France, among many other philanthropic initiatives, to create a safe and healthy environment for children.

President Mandela loved children and believed that we should invest in their future, so that one day, they can grow to be leaders who take our society forward. So strong was his conviction that in 1995, President Mandela donated a third of his salary, for the duration of his five-year tenure as the first democratically elected President of South Africa, to establish the Fund. The Fund is particularly concerned with children living in vulnerable conditions, hence its strategic approach to expand globally by establishing Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Affiliates throughout the world - each with a fundraising and grant making mandate. CEO of the Fund, Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo says, “This is a wonderful opportunity for the Fund to celebrate children’s rights champions around the world in honour of a global icon, Mr Mandela, who founded the Fund to promote the wellbeing of children. This is as we commemorate the life of Mr Mandela and ten years since his passing, under the theme, ‘Gone but not Forgotten’.”

The event will have multicultural, highly-acclaimed performances, including a special presentation from the La Scala Theatre in Milan, led by international choreographer Gianluca Schiavoni, the Principal of La Scala Antonella Albano, and Soloist of La Scala Massimo Garon.  Executive Producer of Boy Wonder, “Chosen Few”, will provide curated music for the night of the event.   

The event, set to benefit the Fund, is presented by Trigo Networks, a mass entertainment company that represents clients from celebrities to governmental entities.  The Media Partner is Total Prestige Magazine, which has exclusive event coverage and can be found at www.totalprestigemagazine.com.  The awards presented to the honourees are a specially crafted designed by Sara Sorribes of Vidrio Sorribes.  Custom art pieces from artist Patrice Murciano will be on display and sold during the event to benefit the Fund.  Event sponsors include Diriyah Company, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Montegrappa, Galerie Murciano and other contributors. 
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Individual ticket donation prices are $200 per person, with other upgrades to the admission, including VIP area access.  For more information or tickets, please visit www.trigonetworks.com/NMCFGalaCannes or email info@trigonetworks.com.

​Johannesburg: Friday, 21 April 2023:  The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF), like most South Africans, is horrified about the brutal murder of two young boys in Soweto. The NMCF condemns these murders in the strongest possible terms.
 
We call for calm and for Soweto residents not to take the law into their hands, and equally call for law enforcement agencies to ensure that the streets are safe and that everyone, particularly children, can safely play in them without being kidnapped and mutilated.
 
The NMCF sends its heartfelt commiserations to the Ndlovu and Zulu families during this difficult time. The names of Tshiamo Ndlovu (6) and Nqobizitha Zulu (5) should forever be etched in our memories and cause us to act decisively as a country to stem the continuing high levels of violent crimes against children in South Africa, with some cases failing to see any arrest or successful prosecution of those charged.
 
Tshiamo and Nqobizitha’s lives have been brutally cut short by criminals and may their innocent souls not rest in peace but continue to haunt us all until we all do our part to ensure that every child in South Africa is safe and protected.
 
As the NMCF, we have always believed children should be allowed to be themselves, and not be brutalised into fear of not playing in the streets, as they live in a society that’s largely bedevilled by fear, largely driven by criminal elements committing acts of criminality with no fear of being arrested or sent to jail.
 
Our late former President Nelson Mandela, the founder of NMCF once said: “There is no keener revelation of the soul of a society than in the way it treats its children”.
 
Linda Ncube-Nkomo, the Chief Executive Officer of NMCF went on to say that a society that brutalises children has no soul. We can do better. We must do better. We should see our children as precious and allow them to be just that – children who can be safe and protected in the places where they live, learn and play.”
 
The NMCF is gravely concerned that the suspected reasons of Tshiamo and Nqobizitha’s gruesome killings are linked to muti rituals. Muti killings have in recent years been one of the growing scourges in South Africa and across African continent, a tragic situation that needs urgent attention as it continues to target, mostly women and children. The safety and protection of children needs to be given urgent attention now if we are to get to a point where society starts to change the way it treats its children.
 
Ncube-Nkomo concluded by saying every South African has a responsibility to create safe spaces homes, schools, and communities for children, and this cannot be left to the law enforcement agencies. We need to treat every child as if they are our own.  “Having said that, we still expect a competent police service that would work around the clock, with the clear goal of seeing these murderers behind bars, and a justice system that will ensure that justice for the departed is served.”
 

On Thursday, 13 April 2023, The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) returned from Nairobi, Kenya, with six children from South Africa who participated in the inaugural Africa Children’s Summit.
 
This forum is a continental initiative driven by children from Kenya and sought to give children a platform for participation and to have their voices heard on child-related issues.
 
CEO of the Fund, Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo, says the Summit aligns with the organisation’s goals to enhance child participation in decisions that affect them. “Children and young people in South Africa and other parts of the world face a myriad of challenges, including high unemployment, poverty, education inequality, lack of access to mentorship programmes, and a lack of participation in decision-making processes at local to global levels. In this Summit children had the opportunity to raise some of these issues and provide child-led solutions to these challenges. Children did not participate in the Summit; they led every aspect of it in line with the theme of, Sseen.Heard.Engaged”.
 
The group from South Africa, chosen by the Fund, joined others from the continent and made presentations as well as contributions on the unique challenges they face; interventions by their governments and shared recommendations or solutions.
 
“This has been great for me.  I like the fact that the Summit was planned by us children, we led in the moderation and the writing of the outcome statement at the end,” says Segopotso Marine, one of the child participants from the Fund.
 
The statement representing summarised views and outcomes from the event will be produced. It will be used to inform deliberations at the African Union and the United Nations Offices that are focused on child rights.
 
Prof Phillip Jaffer, Vice Chair at the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child says, “We have heard the voices of the children of Africa. Not only do they want to be heard and seen but also participate in decision making processes that affect their lives and communities. We will be taking this message as it is to the United Nations”. 
 
Following the event, selected children will participate in the Africa Children’s Committee in Lesotho during the last week of April to the beginning of May 2023 where they will address the expert committee members.
 
The Fund is also a member of the fifth General Assembly of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Commission (AU-ECOSOCC) and is currently working to obtain an observer status with the AU-African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission).

“The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund is proud to partner with the Cannes International Film Festival as well as Trigo Networks to present the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Gala Cannes.
 
Since 1946, Cannes International Film Festival has been the bridge between serious filmmaking and mainstream motion picture entertainment (Festival de Cannes, 2017). Cannes International Film Festival is “is the most important film festival in terms of worldwide impact” (French Embassy in the United States, 2019). Former United States President Barack Obama said that the City of Cannes has “wonderful hospitality and the beautiful weather” which is very indicative of the atmosphere and contributes to the longevity of the festival (Obama, 2011). Annually, there are over 80,000 festivalgoers in attendance consisting of actors, actresses, artistic agencies, authors, directors, writers, book publishers, film financiers, cultural organizations (art centers, museums, multimedia libraries) and over 4,000 journalists (Festival de Cannes, 2023).
 
Among this prestigious and very important week-long festival, there is an absence of engagements dedicated to children. Children actors and actresses make up a major part of the film industry. This night is dedicated to them and children everywhere, to highlight those who help and serve children.
 
During this special night, hundreds of people will gather to celebrate those who advocate for children from around the globe. Five magnanimous individual's work will be recognized with an award. We
anticipate making history as we support the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, to garner resources that has the trajectory to save thousands of children's lives through the many outlets including Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, Child Safety and Protection -Safe Schools Program, and much more.”
 
You can also get involved by supporting the work of the Nelson Mandela Children’s fund by clicking here

The State of the National Address (SONA) sets the tone for government plans and policy implementation affecting South Africans. The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) reviewed the address with the aim of establishing how government has positioned issues related to children and youth.

Since its establishment in 1995 by former president Nelson Mandela, the Fund has a long history of advocating for the rights of children including leading the development of a children’s manifesto by children that was handed over to the current president, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, in 2019. It is worth noting the challenges experienced by children then, are still relevant today.

In this year’s SONA 2023, the President Cyril Ramaphosa, made it clear that government focus is on prioritising the energy crisis. Whilst the Fund recognises the need for urgent intervention in this regard, we note that this should not be done to the neglect of issues related to children and that they too, should be engaged on national issues.

Energy Crisis

On 09 February 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa, declared a National State of Disaster, during the State of the Nation Address (SONA), as a response to the debilitating energy crisis characterised by continuous blackouts.

The President made quite clear that his priority focus for his administration, is the current energy crisis of our country, with the introduction of a new portfolio, the Ministry of Electricity.
While, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) welcomes the efforts to tackle the energy crisis, we note with concern the lack of young voices in tackling this issue.

Youth unemployment

The Fund agrees with the President’s sentiments that unemployment is a structural problem that needs to be addressed and welcomes the initiatives mentioned by the President in the attempts to reduce it. For example, the revitalised National Youth Service, The Social Unemployment Fund, placing TVET graduates in employment and supporting women and youth led SMEs.  The Fund also welcomes the partnership between the NYDA and the government that has enabled 3 million users to access the SAYouthMobi service application for learning and employment opportunities. However, such platforms need to be widespread to allow more youths to have access to them.

As a non-profit organisation with a mandate of promoting the rights of children and youth, the Fund believes in supporting entrepreneurial business for youth and advocates for more collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society in this regard. As a result, the Fund has made its own efforts in entrepreneurial empowerment through its Efeng Bacha programme, which is aimed at capacitating youth with necessary skills for employment and provides opportunities to entrepreneurial training and mentorship.
The Fund recently also supported 250 learners to attend the World Science Forum STEM Bootcamp in Cape Town, in December 2022, under the theme of “Science for Social Justice”, to promote science opportunities, resources and equal access to members of society, especially children and youth.

Skills development for children and youth need to be at the forefront and a priority focus area in the development of science skills. The Fund welcomes the projected R800 million allocation to the digital skills and tech sector, as its important to ensure children and youth are taught the appropriate skills for the future of the workplace, especially considering the growing fast pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Fund also welcomes the anticipated R1.5 trillion for funding to be allocated over the next five years to accommodate the new emerging sectors in our economy and the emerging renewable energy projects, with the increase of investments being made in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. However, there needs to be more details on which sectors are identified for investment, how the funds will be spent and definition of the metrics of success to enable the government to be held accountable.

Crime & Safety

The Fund supports the increasing of Thuthuzela Care Centres and the strengthening of the NPA, SAPS and Courts. However, again, clarity is needed on what the President means when referring to "strengthening" these centres. A clear plan needs to be shared with the nation on how government plans to ensure that those who commit serious crimes such as rape and murder remain behind bars. 

As the crime stats continue to increase, with more children and women being the targets of heinous acts, The Fund calls for more police officers to be trained and to be visible on the streets.

The president stated that government will produce 10 000 SAPS graduates, however last year the target of 12 000 was not met, proving that further focus is needed in this space for targets to be achieved.

The Fund also calls for a review of the training programme of the police. As highlighted by the president, officers tend to not respond to phone calls received on the emergency number (10111). The Fund does not believe this is due to a lack of human capital at the call centres. It is suggested that the police force needs rigorous intervention in a bid to decrease crime rates. Along with reviewing the training programme, The Fund recommends that monitoring visits must be conducted regularly at police stations, especially those that are in crime hotspots. Non-performing police stations must be dealt with appropriately.

Education

The Fund attended various public hearings for the Children's Amendment Bill, and in addition hosted the Portfolio Committee for Social Development in an online hearing whereby children from all over the country presented their submissions on the Bill. One of the key issues highlighted in all the hearings was the need for the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector to be moved to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and for more funding and support to be provided to this sector. The Fund is pleased with the decision to locate the ECD portfolio under DBE as well as the plan to streamline ECD subsidies through the DBE to enable more children to access these services.

The Fund applauds the DBE for establishing the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative and the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery (ASIDI), which aims to ensure that all the issues related to water, sanitation and electricity in schools are addressed. However, there is lack of evidence that 55 000 toilets have been built through this programme as claimed by the President, as such a comprehensive report needs to be shared with the public on this matter.

Access to higher education has always been a great concern for the youth in this country as statistics show that youth have greater chances of employment when they graduate from institutions of higher education, as opposed to when they only hold a matric certificate or neither. The Fund recognises that NSFAS is overburdened, receiving more than 600 000 applications every year, and has to be strict in its mandate to provide financial support to students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, more focus is needed on students who fall outside the NSFAS requirements i.e. "the missing middle”. As such, government needs to be transparent and provide feedback to the public on the finalised Comprehensive Student Funding Model.

In April 2022, the Fund joined the Speaker of National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on her trip to Makhanda as she congratulated and encouraged school learners for their improvement in school performance results. The Fund believes collaboration between civil society organisations and parliament could elicit more positive results and welcomes government’s efforts to capacitate schools lacking resources across the country.

Climate change

A global challenge, climate change, threatens the health, wellbeing and socio-economic state of vulnerable communities, in particular, across the world and South Africa is no exception. Children and youth are disproportionally affected by climate change. The KwaZulu-Natal floods resulted in devastating deaths of more than 50 children, with more children being displaced, and facing limited access to water and basic services.

The Fund notes with concern, that the presidential address did not include any plans to further support the affected children and youth in the region, who  are still in need of rehabilitation and psychosocial support following the floods.

The Fund welcomes the President’s call to continue the transition to a low carbon economy, as this will present an opportunity for investment in other energy sources, thus increasing opportunities for a healthier planet, clean-tech and conservation-related jobs.

In closing, children and youth form more than a third of the population in South Africa. Research has shown that they are the most vulnerable when it comes to issues of safety and protection, health, education, unemployment and climate change. Thus, it is disappointing to note that once again the SONA failed to acknowledge the numerous societal ills that continue to impede on young people's growth and holistic development.

Considering the lack of  a concrete plan of action directly  addressing these issues, the Fund calls for urgent attention to be placed on matters concerning the wellbeing of children.
Children and youth should be prioritised and placed at the centre of all strategic planning and conversations. The Fund will continue to be a champion for children and youth and looks forward to working together with relevant duty-bearers, including government, to ensure that society changes the way it treats its children and youth.
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The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) is a social development agency founded by former president, Mr Nelson Mandela in 1995. In line with its vision to Change the Way Society Treats its Children and youth, the Fund’s mission is to give voice and dignity to the African child by building a rights-based movement. The organisation’s strategic programmes include, Child Safety and Protection, Child Survival Development and Thriving, Sustainable Livelihoods, Youth Leadership and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg.

It is with great pleasure that the Board of Trustees (the Board) at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) announce the appointment of Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 03 January 2023.

Dr Ncube-Nkomo has extensive experience in business, the development and consulting sectors, amongst others, where she has served in executive and directorship capacities for almost two decades. In her most recent role, Dr Ncube-Nkomo led the New Love Life Trust as CEO for five years and was previously the Chief Financial Officer for two-and-a-half years. She has served on several boards, including the Old Mutual Foundation, where she currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

The Board would like to extend its gratitude to Dr Stanley Maphosa, for leading the Fund as Interim CEO, since June 2022.

Chairperson of the Board, Judge Yvonne Mokgoro, says, “This is a new chapter for the Fund that promises to bring about a new approach to our work with a leader who has gained the confidence of the Board in leading the Fund forward. We would like to thank Dr Maphosa for steering our organisation during this transition in the past six months. He will resume his position as Chief Programmes Officer at the start of the CEO’s tenure.”

Dr Ncube-Nkomo says she feels honoured to take the helm as CEO at the legacy institution. “The Fund holds Madiba’s passion for children at its core and has a great history of changing the lives of vulnerable children across the country. This legacy continues today and it is my privilege to work together with the various teams, doing amazing work on the ground, to enable greater impact to those who need it the most.” 

The Fund launched its 2022 – 2017 strategy, Legacy in Action, which focuses on intensifying interventions related to child health, safety, economic resilience, youth leadership and empowerment.

Dr Ncube-Nkomo says that the strategy remains key to guiding the organisation’s activities in the next four years. “Children in our country remain vulnerable to various socio-economic factors including the advent of Covid-19 and its ramifications which continue to pose a great threat to their wellbeing. Our goal as an organisation will be to have a footprint in the most isolated of areas and those children who remain forgotten. I look forward to engaging with the Fund’s donors, partners and stakeholders in taking this mission forward.”

By Dr Stanley Maphosa

The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund joins representatives of various non-governmental organisations or Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nairobi, Kenya. The objective is to learn why it is important for civil society to register and take part in the continent-wide process of elections into the fourth Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) permanent general assembly. The hosting of this election on the 6-8 December 2022 is a follow up of a decision of the ECOSOCC Credentials Committee and African Union Commission (AUC) Interdepartmental meeting that was held on 21 to 23 March 2022 in Zambia. The meeting in Zambia was also a build-up on the Decision of the 40th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council of February 2022.  The 40th Ordinary Session requested the ECOSOCC Secretariat in collaboration with the relevant departments of the AU Commission to launch the call for applications for the 4th Permanent General Assembly of ECOSOCC. The Fund responded to this call and went through a virtual rigorous selection process together with others CSOs at national, regional and continental levels to be selected as one of the organisations to participate from South Africa.
 
The ECOSOCC General Assembly is the highest policy making body of the Organ. During the First Ordinary Session of the General Assembly on 6 December 2022, the CSOs will elect from amongst the representatives of its members, the Bureau consisting of the Presiding Officer and four Deputy Presiding Officers. The Head of the ECOSOCC Secretariat, the Minister of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (Kenya) and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission are expected to address the meeting in Nairobi; Kenya.

Established under the provisions of Articles 5 and 22 of the African Union’s Constitutive Act, the ECOSOCC is the vehicle for building a strong partnership between governments and all segments of the African civil society. Its Statues, adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004, define it as an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States Under Article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes. ECOSOCC is composed of 154 Civil Society Organization (CSOs): two (2) CSOs from each Member State; ten (10) CSOs operating at regional level and eight (8) at continental level, twenty (20) CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six (6) CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU Commission and based on special considerations, in consultation with Member States. Article 4 (2) provides that the elections for members of ECOSOCC at Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora levels shall ensure fifty percent (50%) gender equality provided that fifty percent (50 %) of the representatives shall consist of youth between the ages of 18 and 35. Members are elected for a term of four (4) years and may be re-elected only once. Since its inception, the organ has had three successful General Assembly terms and the tenure of the current Third General Assembly will come to an end in December, 2022.
 
The CSOs come from the fifty five (55) Member States of the Union and the five (5) Regions of Africa, These include but are not limited to social groups, professional groups, non-governmental organizations, community based organizations, voluntary organizations and cultural organizations form the ECOSOCC membership. The heads of state and government adopted the statute of the ECOSOCC at the third ordinary session of the assembly in July 2004. It defines it as an advisory organ of the African Union composed of different social and professional groups of the member states of the African Union (AU). ECOSOCC is mandated to actively engage the civil society in the processes and work of the African Union, particularly about Africa’s integration and development. Through advice, the ECOSOCC assists the AU to the effectively translation objectives, principles and policies of the Union into concrete programmes, as well as evaluating these programmes.

Dr Stanley Maphosa, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund attended and participated on behalf of the Fund. “Changing the way society treats its children and youth is not possible without a strong and inclusive framework that recognises the multi-faceted nature of sustainable development. It is also important to engage at multilateral levels like the African Union so as to create common understanding, respect and the promotion of the dignity and voice of children and young people,” argued Dr Maphosa.
He added that “For us at the Fund we would like to see ECOSOCC bringing a platform for children and youth to engage among themselves and with policy makers at continental level”. At national level, the Fund has worked with its partners the Department of Social Development, UNICEF, Save the Children, Parliament and Offices of the Premiers at provincial levels to support the Nelson Mandela Children’s Parliament for the past 10 years. The Fund advocates that civil society should be recognised and supported as critical partners in national, regional, Pan African and global development.  In those spaces, children’s issues should not be treated as by the ways or cross cutting issues that have no goal owners, plan or budgets assigned to them. Partnerships should be concretised between the government and progressive civil society organisations (CSOs) as it helps to build stronger and more resilient nations.   ECOSOCC provides the structure and opportunities for civil society to engage with member states of the African Union. Many policies ratified and domesticated at national level come from the protocols and treaties signed at continental and global levels. The Fund believes that ECOSOCC has the potential to be one of the best conduits for civil society to engage in the work of the AU as it has been designed to contain thematic clusters on various areas, from peace and security, trade and social matters.