Formation of policies and laws should be inclusive: Theofelus

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Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, has said lawmakers have a duty to ensure that the formation of policies and laws are inclusive of the diverse voices of citizens from across Namibia.

She made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing over 50 young people from the country’s 14 regions who paid a visit to Parliament through the ‘Bring-a-Buddy to Parly’ initiative.

Theofelus said the principle of participatory democracy is central to the work of Parliament as the legislative branch of the State, and the participatory mechanisms are thus conceived and designed as a way for citizens’ views and input to influence the democratic decision-making processes. This avails the tools for holding elected leaders accountable for their duties and similarly for their decisions, and empowers citizens through the participatory democracy.

“The Bring-a-Buddy to Parly initiative seeks to bring the youth closer to Parliament by encouraging participatory democracy. This initiative creates a platform for transparency in the parliamentary processes and promotes accountability of Members of Parliament to the communities they hail from and represent. It gives young Namibians a platform as citizens to actively engage lawmakers and potentially lobby them for the benefit of their constituencies and the nation at large,” said Theofelus.

She added that parliamentarians will continue to engage young people and the public at large and look at innovative ways to formulate solutions and incorporate inputs and recommendations into decisions to the maximum extent possible.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency