SD worked with parliamentarians from the region in 1995, hosted by the Zimbabwe Parliament to develop a strategy for strengthening research capacity and Information Networking. In 1996, SD organized for the Electoral Institute of South Africa (EISA) the formative workshop of Electoral Commissioners from all SADC countries to establish a regional forum, in 1997 attended the formative roundtable for an NGO regional network, and continues to work with EISA to strengthen regional networks through information access.

SD worked with media editors in eight countries in 1997/98, concretizing the debate around ethics and specialized areas of development reporting. The programme is now strengthening its regional bibliographic and contacts database, developing a series of publications; and preparing to assist media coverage for five national elections in the SADC region scheduled for 1999.

Contact: Kondwani Chirambo, Managing Editor, Head of Programme or Walter Otis Tapfumaneyi, Senior Documentalist, Deputy HoP