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Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from 9 African countries have resolved to boost public awareness, collaboration and engagement between themselves, citizens, media and government agencies to enable them influence tax policy and challenge public institutions on tax justice and tax collaboration standards that reflect the needs of Africa.
This was during the Scaling Up Tax Justice (SCUT III) Partners Mid-Term Review Meeting which focused on strengthening CSO capacities to advocate for tax justice, promote domestic resource mobilisation (DRM), and curb Illicit Financial Flows.
The meeting was organised by TJNA and hosted by Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), Uganda. It brought together 20 tax justice advocates and CSOs to reflect on the progress and lessons learned in achieving a fairer and more transparent tax regime across the region.
Speaking during the meeting, TJNA’s Executive Director, Ms. Chenai Mukumba emphasised the opportunity for civil society to work with other stakeholders to address the increasing public dissatisfaction over the management of the continent’s domestic resources.
“SCUT represents a critical avenue for TJNA to impact at the national level directly. We are witnessing a growing wave of citizen dissatisfaction regarding the management of public funds. This presents a unique opportunity for African CSOs to step in and drive meaningful change,” she added.
During the three-day meeting, the CSOs discussed a number of issues including a deeper understanding of the SCUT project plan, results-based management, monitoring, learning and learning, advocacy as well as communicating for impact.
The overall objective of SCUT III is to improve at least 20 policies and laws to track and stop illicit financial outflows, enhance fair and equitable tax revenue mobilization and strengthen social contracts in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Mozambique, Liberia, Senegal, Cameroon, and Tunisia by 2025.
The project represents a joint vision by TJNA, its members, and partners for the reduction of unfair tax practices in Africa through evidence-based research and policy advocacy to build capacity for monitoring fairness and transparency within the tax system as well as influencing policies on enhancing revenue generation.
Related resources
- Tax champions challenged to expand research and advocacy capabilities to accelerate the pace of tax reforms in Africa
- More countries join the SCUT Project as phase 3 kicks off
For more information about the SCUT project, please contact Ishmael Zulu at izulu[@]taxjusticeafrica.net