Society shapes the government needed to ensure democracy. The Africa Platform works with governments to build the right democracy built on local values, social cohesion and effective accountability at all levels of Governance. Diverse societies have different forms of democratic values. The Africa Platform works with Governments to build the right democracy that respects its diversity, culture and social cohesion. Elections, where they are needed, are only the first step to democracy, and not always, the only one, or necessary one.

Society cohesion is the foundation of any Democracy. The Africa Platform works with activists, and leaders in society to strengthen relations within society and ensure issues within society become the foundation of policy at all levels.

Development sector- NGOs and the Donors that fund them- can become catalysts for societal cohesion, or become stumbling blocks to society resilience, cohesion and accountability. The Africa Platform works with development actors to ensure development is not a tool to weaken society so as to extract from it.