Proposed Fiji Legislative Research and Advocacy Proposed Participation (at this stage): LLB students of FNU (The moot society) LLB students of USP/University of Fiji 2 youths each (male/female) from 44 districts Secretariat to United Supreme Council Background: The proposed “legislative Research and Advocacy” includes supporting institutional development and capacity building aimed at cultivating a well-functioning, sustainable and pluralistic system of democratic polity. LRA is to become a pioneer organization in this comprehensive area of work in Fiji and the pacific. LRA to work closely with civil society groups, parliamentary institutions, legislators, political parties, civil servants and media to create participatory and collective wisdom and praxis in the policy and decision-making process. The Fijian Parliament plays a supreme role in the Fiji political system and is a central institution in the framework of governance. Parliament nowadays has become more a multifunctional body while making policies and laws, overseeing the Executive, and representing people remain its core functions; Parliament’s role has extended to areas of conflict resolution, national integration, grievance ventilation, informational activities, etc. Against this backdrop, the test is for the Parliament to exercise its constitutionally assigned functions and capabilities to promote greater answerability, transparency and participation. Aims And Objectives • To initiate, promote and implement research, advocacy, capacity building and other related activities to enhance the representative, legislative and oversight functions of Parliamentary / Legislative Institutions in Fiji and the Pacific. • To work towards promoting and enhancing the credibility and integrity of the electoral processes of the country. • To initiate and implement legislative advocacy and research on issues related to people and human development themes. • To engage and promote Parliamentary / Legislative studies and research. • To foster working collaboration between civil society groups and legislatures. • To provide support and assistance to political parties for promoting and enhancing representative, accountable, transparent and effective functioning. • To ensure budget processes more responsive to the needs of the people and more transparent and accountable to the public. • To work towards empowering people to participate in the policy making and implementation at different levels of governance. • To enable pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills for the public and the interest groups and to develop strategies to better the practice of public submission on Bills and policies. • To protect, promote and strengthen constitutionalism in the country. • To work towards bringing, changing and implementing policies and legislations to protect and promote the rights of the people. • To work towards establishing and strengthening ombudsman institutions in the country. • To undertake training and capacity building, by itself or in collaboration with other organizations or individuals, so as to improve the skills and knowledge of those working for social causes and public interest. • To promote legislative studies and research at university and other institutional levels. • To organize and conduct workshops, seminars and training for legislators, legislative staff, media and other civil society groups. • To work as a resource center that caters to the legislative and functional needs of parliamentarians. • To work towards forming and promoting parliamentary forums and knowledge groups. Focus Areas: Research and Information Support (RIS) RIS is to provide research and information support to Members of Parliament and Legislative bodies such as state assemblies and councils and also Parliamentary Parties. This is mostly being done in Parliament’s business oriented manner and according to the functional requirements of the MPs. RIS aims to support and create a well-informed Parliament. LRA also to provide Constituency Service Support and Internship Service to MPs in order to help them carry out their responsibilities. Legislative Advocacy Legislative advocacy is being done in priority areas especially the social, economic and developmental sectors where new legislation or policy is needed or where existing laws require amendments. This enables civil society groups to take their issues and concerns to legislative spaces and to policy and decision makers. It also assists and influences government in identifying priority areas. LRA to take initiatives in association with legislators to form informed action groups and forums in areas of social sector, human rights, etc. Parliament Watch Parliament is the peoples’ institution. People have a right to know what their legislatures do. There is also a need to monitor and analyze the proceedings and business of the Houses. This entails a watchdog mechanism to be promoted and developed by different sectors. To initiate and facilitate this, LRA to bring out Parliament Watch, a Session wise journal, which reports and reviews the entire business of the Houses pertaining to the social and developmental sectors in a Parliament Session. This would provide the public with information regarding the activities of the Parliament and their representatives in pursuing issues of concern to particular constituencies, civil society groups and to people in general. Legislative Research Legislative research is to initiate and conduct research to formulate solutions pertaining to problems of functioning of legislatures and specifically to address the issues of Parliament as an institution of governance. It is to promote institutional practices and procedure related and system related reforms to carry out its functions more effectively and competently. LRA to undertake research and studies related to all aspects of legislature including studies on legislative system, comparative legislature, and legislative behaviour.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 07:37:27 +0000
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