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Background

Background

The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) was established in 1999 as a Government of Malawi project wholly funded by the European Union (EU). In 2012, NICE transformed into a multi-funded Public Trust incorporated under the Public Trustees Act 1968. The overall objective of NICE, as an independent and autonomous Trust, is to “contribute towards strengthening and deepening of democratic process and improved governance in Malawi for accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.” The specific objectives of the Trust are to:

  • Play a key role in strengthening the democratic processes and good governance in Malawi through the provision of high-quality civic education in a professional, coordinated, effective and continuous manner.

  • Encourage the Malawian citizenry to actively participate in public life and claim their democratic rights through awareness initiatives and capacity building.

  • Ensure that Malawian citizens take an active role in the democratic decision- making process at all level

  • Enhance the awareness of the core principles of tolerance, human rights, the rule of law and constitutionalism by working together with other bodies of good governance.

  • Contribute to the attainment of free and fair elections by providing civic and voter education and by training, among other target groups, young and senior politicians as well as traditional and religious leaders on matters related to elections, local governance, decentralization, rule of law and human rights.

  • Ensure that duty bearers and Malawian citizens have increased awareness and understanding of principles and values of an open and democratic society so that duty bearers become more accountable towards the public and citizens are better able to hold duty bearers to account for their performance; and

  • Promote intercultural and political dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence amongst the citizens of Malawi.