AU WATCH

Consultancy Services

AU Watch’s fee-for-service practice focuses on capacity building and training on a range of AU related issues. We are leading a movement to transform how Africans seethe AU and its Members and are able to participate in many of its activities.

“Thus, shall we live, because we will have created a society which recognizes that all people are born equal, with each entitled in equal measure to life, liberty, prosperity, human rights and good governance.”

Our vision
Our vision is anempowered Africa looking forward to 2063, where everyone has the opportunity to grow to his or her full potential.

Our mission
We are working toward 2063, by providingtraining and rigorous information to support better decisions, influence policy outcomes, increase accountability and strengthen the use of information and data to influence the AU, its Members and help get an Africa where social justice is the norm.

Our Strategy
We are independent, politically neutral and objective in our approach to data and analysis. we never fit facts to suit an agenda. We directly engage with policy actors and decision-makers, whilst also supporting the efforts of civil society and others who are seeking to drive change.

We collaborate We know that working with others is essential to achieving our vision of anAfrica looking forward to 2063. We share skills, knowledge and experience with organizations to support each other and make greater progress than we could ever achieve alone. Our openness, objectivity and expertise in data make us a valuable ally to a range of global to local organizations and institutions.

“Our aim is clear. Our mission is possible. And our destination is in our sights: an end to extreme poverty by 2030; a life of peace and dignity for all. What counts now is translating promises on paper into change on the ground. We owe this and much more to the vulnerable, the oppressed, the displaced and the forgotten people in our world.”

 

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon address to the General Assembly, September 2015. The ‘five Ps’ – People, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships – capture the broad scope of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

We provide consultancy on the following sectors and themes: corruption, justice, governance, climate change, security, sustainable development, human rights, media and communication.

What We Do

We bring over 100 years of combined experience and expertise to help you achieve your goals. Our consultancy services are delivered by a highly skilled team of human rights, development media and communication experts. We cover human rights, anti-corruption, African Governance Architecture, sustainable development, Agenda 2063, data analysis, policy research and influencing, data communications and data science, and bring extensive and in-depth knowledge on a range of issues. These include poverty, development finance, crisis finance, humanitarian assistance, domestic resources, and data transparency, quality and use.

Our services include:
• General human rights training
• Media and communication for the promotion and protection of human rights
• Social Justice and anti-corruption training
• AU Studies
• African Continental Free Trade services
• Policy research and influencing
• Governance and rule of law training
• Election monitoring services
• Development and crisis finance
• Humanitarian assistance services
• Agenda 2063 services and training
• Field assessments
• Institutional assessments
• Legislative drafting and policy advice
• Social impact studies
• Implementation planning
• Implementation monitoring
• M&E
• Development and policy training
• Public education programs
• Program design, management and implementation

We are Specialists in

  • Tailored guidance, frameworks and technical advice for partners, donors, businesses, governments and institutions to implement policies and interventions which promote social justice, good governance, sustainable development, security, human rights and peace.

 

 

  • We are able to use media research to assist you in your messaging. Development Initiatives needs an expert voice on a range of issues relating to regional poverty, development finance including aid, and development data. We know that the power of media and communication can help reduce poverty and support and empower people in understanding their rights. We can help you inform, connect and empower your constituents.We’ll create a comprehensive strategy to help you drive the news about your organization and not just react to it. We’ll craft proactive and reactive measures, and write statements, talking points, op-eds, speeches and other content that reflects your messaging strategy.We can produce graphs and other data visuals from our research to be used on your online and in print publications


  • Programs that fosters sound environmental management policies and long-term economic development that benefits local communities, and especially women.

 

 

 

  • Climate change that is affecting both water availability and quality. We support research and provide consultancy services to help Africa’s most vulnerable adapt to the water-related impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, landslides, and rising sea levels.

Specialist human rights advice and expertise.

We offer:

• Information dissemination and awareness raising on human rights programs and activities, including organising and coordinating human rights events and providing media coverage;

• Accountability assessments of existing human rights policies and procedures (e.g. independence of complaints procedures, effectiveness of inspection systems);

• Auditing domestic compliance with regional and international human rights obligations;

• Human rights education, in particular in relation to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;

• We provide advisory services based on lessons learned, promising practices, and counter-violations strategies to local, national, and international audiences.

• Judicial and human rights training, especially as regards the development of effective techniques for monitoring compliance with judicial and human rights standards;

• On-the-spot monitoring of policing practice and conditions of detention in prisons and other places where people are deprived of their liberty;

• Human Rights / Trafficking and Slavery Hotline: We operate a 24-hour human rights hotline in all the countries we operate and connecting professionals, victims, and community members to information and services. For further information, please contact us at [email protected], or to contact the Chapter or Section directly, please call us at: 002207888138

• We offer comprehensive clinical social services to victims of all forms of human trafficking and severe human rights violations through our local country office or in Partnership with other agencies.

Some of our Anti-corruption Services

• Understanding Corruption in Africa?
• Reporting Corruption
• Corruption and the AU Board of Corruption
• Corruption and Intergovernmental Bodies
• Business and Corruption
• Education
• Whistle blowing
• International and Regional corruption conventions
• AU Watch Integrity Awards
• AU Watch Corruption Perceptions Index
• AU Watch Regional Corruption Barometer
• AU Watch Bribe Payers Index
• AU Watch Regional Corruption Reports
• AU Watch AU Watch Country Reports
• Policy Positions Working papers

We also provide services in recruitment, management consultancy, human resources support services and monitoring and implementation. We help clients design and implement a monitoring and evaluation program to measure what matters, and help communicate the information in order to increase engagement, and to focus and improve planning and decision-making. In a region that is changing, M&E helps organization foster trust, adapt, learn and leverage new opportunities.

Developing the right types of indicators to monitor your objectives and determine how well your organization is doing can sometimes be an intimidating experience, especially if you don’t have the right data. That’s where we come in. As experts in community development work we work with your team to identify your goals (the ‘what’) for success and sustainability, and the strategies and actions (the ‘how’) to get there. Using a systems thinking approach and based on your organization’s mission, we are able, with your participation, to put together a plan that your resources can permit. As process design, engagement and facilitation experts we work with your team to identify the objectives for engagement, who and how we need to engage with and then design a strategy with you that works.

How we work

We work collaboratively from the outset – getting to know you, how you like to work, and clarifying your objectives. By only employing staff who share our values and are deeply passionate about what we do, clients can look forward to working with a highly motivated team of experts. Our services are for those who align with our principles and business ethics as we see this as a key part of maintaining ethical and responsible business practice. We are also committed to providing value for money, with key policies and processes in place to ensure you are getting the best return on your investment.

AU Watch conducts in-depth commercial landscape assessments to guide our clients on the current status of its target market, including key trends and developments, projected growth areas, opportunities and threats, and key players to be aware of both from a competitive perspective as well as with a view of identifying potential clients.

AU recommends continuous ongoing analysis and assessment of competitors in relation to market trends to facilitate the pre-emptive discovery of potential disruptions and innovations to client’s industries. Working in close collaboration with our clients, we elicit actionable forward-looking competitive intelligence to facilitate faster, more informed decisions.

Our forward-looking research methods inform clients with the sensory capability necessary for discerning emerging trends and remaining adaptable to shifting consumer mindsets. The African consumer landscape is constantly changing and IOA’s consumer research approaches ensure that our clients always have their fingers on the pulse of the consumer.

Due diligence investigations are thorough and complete assessments of capability, business, opportunities, assets, liabilities and financial performance carried out before new ventures or expansions. IOA works closely with a variety of key partners in providing highly reliable intelligence to guide decision-making.

AU Watchconsultants and political analysts closely follow election-related developments in all African countries to provide clients with intelligence to guide strategic decisions. Clients look to IOA to monitor elections in priority African markets and to keep them informed on current and project developments, ramifications, threats and opportunities.

Through the expert assessment of political and social events across the continent, our analysts reveal the future implications and fundamental relevance of emerging geopolitical trends. Our bespoke predictive intelligence helps global enterprises to zero in on inherent risks and discover salient opportunities relative to their strategic planning.

A comprehensive analysis of the industry in which our clients operate or want to operate in; including the analysis of competitors, their operations, the growth potential and existential threats to the industry, technological trends and industry impact, analysis of foreign investment and partnership in the industry, and other critical areas of investigation.

Our market trend analysis supports our clients’ strategy and development through an analytical focus on salient factors such as demographic migrations, sales growth, product demand and analysis, consumer behaviour patterns and more. These studies are either industry/market-specific, or span multiple industries and/or African markets.

The ubiquitous availability of media, multiplicity of channels and exponential increase of access choices makes navigating the African media landscape a challenging feat. Our media analysis includes traditional, digital and social media, comprising of two approaches: Monitoring and Measurement.

 

Africa’s heterogeneous society is spirited and in constant flux. AU Watch works with governments, NGOs and international organisations to gauge attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of Africa’s diverse populations. AU Watch holds extensive experience in research on social issues such as education, gender, healthcare, unemployment and more.

Getting the right suppliers, distributors, and developing appropriate relationships which can positively affect profitability and impact is a delicate task. AU Watch consultants support clients to benchmark their market position relative to competitors and develop connections which maximise opportunities and enjoy brand harmony to sustain strategic imperatives.

C-suite executives, organisation leaders and various other stakeholders require up-to-date, insight-driven assessments of key trends, industry developments, or region-specific outlooks AU Watch’s experience in and on Africa in tandem with our extensive footprint and presence on the continent positions us to deliver actionable briefings tailored to your requirements.

 

Our recent work has covered the following industries and sectors: